Toilet Keeps Clogging? Here’s Why And What To Do Next
When your toilet keeps clogging, our team here at Boss Plumbing knows it can be inconvenient and a bit messy. If you continue experiencing a clogged toilet more often than normal, there can be many reasons why this problem keeps happening. If you’re curious about the reasons why your toilet keeps clogging and what you can do to make this problem disappear, our Boss Plumbing experts have all you need to know.
Why is the Toilet Clogging Repeatedly?
A toilet that repeatedly clogs means something is not right with your toilet, your plumbing system itself, or that you or other folks in your household are flushing things down the toilet that aren’t meant to be disposed of in this manner. As for the most common toilet problems that result in clogs, here are some to keep in mind.
Older Toilet
If your home has an older toilet, especially a low-flow toilet from the mid-90s, this could be why your toilet keeps clogging. Older low-flow toilets usually don’t have the pressure required to push material through the trap and drain.
Flushing Non-Flushable Materials
If you fail to remember what you can’t flush down the toilet, you’ll have one clog after another. Generally, we find many toilet clogs are due to people trying to flush baby diapers, feminine hygiene products, paper, and clumping cat litter down their toilets. All of these are non-flushable, meaning they belong in a trash can.
Too Much Toilet Paper
When you try to flush too much toilet paper, it fails to dissolve properly. When this occurs, it then sticks to the drain lines, ensuring your toilet will keep clogging.
Clogged Trap
Unlike your sink’s trap that is P-shaped, your toilet’s trap is S-shaped, making it easier for things to get trapped inside the trap.
Toilet Vent is Blocked
Your toilet is connected to a vent that is located on your roof. When this vent clogs, flushing pressure decreases, leading to clog after clog.
Blocked Sewer Line
If your sewer line is blocked due to tree roots or other materials that have become stuck inside the line, you will need to call on us here at Boss Plumbing for bathroom plumbing repair services. If left unchecked, this will create drainage problems throughout your home.
Can I Fix It Myself?
This will depend on just how serious the problem is with your clogged toilet. In some instances, toilet repair can be an easy DIY project. In other situations, the solution to your toilet problems is to rely on professional plumbers like us here at Boss Plumbing. Should you think the problem may be simple, such as using too much toilet paper, a few thrusts with a plunger may do the trick.
However, if you try a few things and nothing works, you could have a more serious problem that requires professional advice and assistance.
What To Do
If you are going to try to fix your toilet on your own, here is what to do.
- Gather Your Tools
For a DIY plumbing clog, you will need a variety of plumbing tools in your toolbox. These will include a plunger, drain auger, plumbing snake, plumbing wrench, slip-joint pliers, and both flat-head and Phillips-head screwdrivers.
- Use the Plunger First
Fortunately, many toilet clogs can be easily remedied with a plunger. In fact, this is one of the easiest and quickest ways for how to fix an overflowing toilet.
- Try the Drain Auger
If the plunger didn’t work, try the drain auger. Insert it into the toilet drain and rotate it until you think you reach the clog. Once you believe the clog is gone, carefully remove the auger so that it does not get stuck or damage your toilet.
- Clear the Vent
To do this, get your ladder and climb up on your roof. Locate the toilet vent, then try using your auger or spraying water down the vent to clear the blockage.
What Not to Do
Though you are frustrated and determined to rid your toilet of its clog, remember that there are certain things you should not do in this situation, such as:
- Continuous flushing
- Pour drain cleaner down the toilet
- Try to jam the drain auger through the drain line
- Make sewer line repairs yourself
Should you try to do any of these things in an effort to unclog your toilet, you may not only create a leaky toilet that is also clogged, but possibly damage your sewer line or other plumbing system components.
Preventing a Clogged Toilet
Actually, we think it’s pretty easy to prevent a clogged toilet from happening in the first place. The easiest way is to simply know what you can’t flush down the toilet. Also, get in the habit of using less toilet paper during your bathroom visit. Though many people use up to 10 squares of toilet paper each time, you really only need about three or four to do the job.
Other things you can do include upgrading your toilet to a newer and more powerful model, keeping your toilet vent clear of debris, and having the occasional family meeting to remind everyone that diapers, cotton balls, dental floss, and the used kitty litter need to go in the nearest trash can.
Do I Need to Replace a Toilet That Clogs Frequently?
Not necessarily. If the problem is just flushing the wrong things down the toilet or using too much toilet paper, you can easily remedy this situation. However, if you’ve got an older toilet that just can’t generate enough flushing pressure time after time, it’s probably time to call us here at Boss Plumbing to discuss having a new toilet installed in your home.
Call Our Plumbing Pros Today
Should you be having problems with a toilet that always seems to be clogged, call our plumbing pros today here at Boss Plumbing. With our more than 30 years of experience as a family-owned and operated business here in Los Angeles, we have a track record of customer service and workmanship that cannot be matched.
