Here’s What to Do if Your Toilet is Backed Up

After a clogged sink, a backed-up toilet is probably the most common home plumbing problem homeowners in Del Mar, CA experience. When a backed-up toilet begins to overflow, it can cause all kinds of messes. Homeowners need to know what to do when their toilets back up.

How many times has this happened to you? You flush your toilet. However, instead of draining out of the bowl, the water begins to rise. It continues to rise until it reaches the rim of the bowl and then starts to overflow.

You have a real plumbing problem on your hands.

First, Turn Off the Toilet’s Water Supply

If your toilet is overflowing, the first thing you need to do is shut off the water supply to the toilet. You can do that by closing the valve on the waterline connected to your toilet. Turn the valve clockwise to shut off the water supply to the toilet

You can also stop the flow of water into the bowl by manually closing the flapper valve. Open the lid of the toilet tank. At the bottom, you’ll see a small rubber stopper. Push the valve down (don’t worry the water inside the tank is clean) to stop the flow of water.

Addressing the Clog

Once you shut off the water flow to the toilet, you can address the cause of the clog. To avoid a mess, bail some of the water out of the bowl before you begin. Wear rubber gloves and eye protection to protect yourself from coming into contact with the potentially contaminated water.

You can clear the clog using a plunger or drain cleaner. The plunger uses suction to dislodge the clog; cleaners dissolve the materials causing the clog.

Once the clog has been cleared, open the water valve again and make a test flush. Be ready to shut off the water again if the clog is still there.

When Do You Need to Call a Professional?

If plungers and cleaners don’t clear the clog, or you are experiencing persistent clogged toilets, you may need to call a professional Del Mar plumber to fix the problem. The clog may not lie in the toilet drain, but in the sewer line the toilet drain is connected. It may require special equipment to locate and clear these types of clogs.

Preventing Future Problems

In most cases, toilets get clogged and backed up when we try to flush too much down the toilet at one time, we try to flush the wrong materials down the toilet, or both. Materials like food waste, paper towels, sanitary wipes, kitty litter, pet waste, soil, dirt, diapers, and feminine hygiene products should never be flushed down a toilet. You can avoid most clogs by simply watching what you flush down the toilet.

If you can’t clear a clogged toilet or are experiencing another plumbing emergency in Del Mar, CA, give 1st Choice Plumbing, Flood & Restoration a call. We’ve been providing outstanding plumbing services to home and business owners in Del Mar and surrounding communities since 2012. Our team of licensed Del Mar, CA plumbers have the training and tools (including video drain inspection and hydro jetting equipment) to get rid of any clog, no matter where it’s located.

1st Choice Plumbing, Flood & Restoration offers 24/7 emergency plumbing services in Del Mar, CA. You can contact us any time you have a plumbing emergency in Del Mar. You can get a hold of 1st Choice Plumbing, Flood & Restoration through our website or phone us at 866-437-0205 to schedule a call.