Toilet Clogging Repeatedly? Here's What You Need to Know
If your toilet repeatedly clogs or backs up, it can be a messy source of frustration. Plus, if it clogs after a guest uses your commode, it can be unpleasant for you and your bathroom visitor. Here are some tips to avoid toilet clogs and some advice about when your problem may require the attention of a licensed plumber.
In general, clogging toilets are usually caused by one of three issues:
- Things are being flushed that should not be
- There’s trouble with the toilet itself
- There’s a problem with the drain line
What Should You Avoid Flushing Down Your Toliet?
Let’s start with what should go into the toilet and what shouldn’t.
What should go in the toilet:
- Human waste
- And toilet paper
What should NOT go in the toilet:
- Everything else
What are the most common causes of clogged toilets?
The most common reason for clogging toilets is non-flushable items being tossed into the bowl.
The most common non-flushable causes of clogging toilets are:
- Tissue paper
- Paper towels
- Feminine products
- Cotton balls
- Cotton swabs
- And even those “flushable” wipes
These items are not made to dissolve as quickly as toilet paper and should not be deposited into your toilet.
Few of the “flushable” wipes on the market are as “flushable” as advertised, and we often find them to be the culprits in drain/clogging problems. Sometimes, we find toys or other random items causing toilet clogs that may have been dropped there by curious children.
How Excess Toliet Paper Can Cause Clogged Toilets
On a related note, excess toilet paper use could also cause toilets to clog. Most of the time, a few squares are sufficient to do the job. But many people use several times this amount, and some even compound the problem by wadding up a length of toilet paper. Also, two-ply toilet paper doesn’t dissolve as quickly as single-ply, so try folding over two squares of single-ply toilet paper to add volume if you prefer.
Low-Flow Toilets and Clogging Issues
We often find that the low-flow toilets installed in many homes 20 to 25 years ago have more problems with clogging than other types of toilets. Low-flow toilets are great for saving water, and you may have been doing your small part to conserve water on our planet for decades.
However, it may be time to install a new one with improved fixtures and technology that conserves even more water while providing a far more powerful flush to move waste material more effectively through the drain.
Toilet Keeps Clogging? Check the Toliet Trap
Another common source of clogs may be the toilet trap behind the bowl. These traps are designed to prevent accidentally flushed items (like jewelry) from flowing too far down the line to be retrieved. However, your toilet can clog with every flush when items build up or get stuck in the trap.
See the non-flushable items section above for the most common causes of trap clogs.
For the do-it-yourselfers, you can attempt to unclog your toilet trap by using a flanged toilet plunger to push clogged material through the trap or by using a drill to break up more challenging clogs. Like all DIY projects, know your limits and when to call a professional to unclog and clean your drains.
Another issue that could lead to clogs is a stopped-up toilet vent. These vents are built into toilets to allow fresh air into your home’s plumbing lines and to help your toilet build pressure for intense, clog-preventing flushes.
Can One Clogged Toilet Affect Another?
Yes, one clogged toilet can affect another. When a toilet is clogged, it can cause the other toilets in the home to back up and overflow due to increased pressure on the plumbing system. This occurs when water has nowhere else to go except out of the drain pipe and into other areas of your home. When this happens, you may notice water coming up through the other toilets in your home. Therefore, addressing a clogged toilet wholly and quickly is vital to avoid further damage or inconvenience.
Signs Your Clog Is Related to Toilet Vent Stoppage
You can tell if your clog is related to a toilet vent stoppage, if your toilet gurgles, smells like sewer in the house, or if slow drains (other toilets, sinks, or tubs) are an issue throughout the house. Since most toilet vents open onto a home’s roof, we do not recommend fixing these vents yourself unless you have experience doing so. If you suspect a clogged vent is your issue, it’s best to call Ben’s ProServ.
Toilet Clogging Frequently? Your Sewer Line May Need Repair
One of the biggest problems that can cause constantly clogged toilets is a clog in your sewer or drain lines. Every toilet, sink, tub, and wash machine in your home has a drain line that leads to the sewer line, which carries waste out of the house and into your municipal sewage removal lines or septic system.
Debris from various sources can build up in the sewer line over time. The clogs that form in sewer lines can be formed by what goes down the drain lines from inside, and they can also be formed from outside your home when, for example, a tree root penetrates a sewer pipe, allowing dirt and other debris to clog the line from outside.
Sewer line repairs are jobs for licensed plumbers with advanced imaging tools to diagnose and find the exact location of the issue and the proper tools to fix even the most complicated problems.
If keeping things that don’t belong out of your toilets and using a plunger or auger doesn’t fix your toilet clog, it’s best to call Ben. The experienced, licensed, expert professionals at Ben’s ProServ will quickly determine what’s causing your recurring clog, fix it right, and get you and your toilet back into the proper flow. Call 856-347-3588 or contact us online now!
Photo courtesy of Marco Verch |