An overflowing toilet is one of the most common household plumbing emergencies in Carlsbad, CA. It’s a problem every Carlsbad, CA homeowner needs to be prepared for. An overflowing toilet can flood your home in your minutes, causing thousands of dollars in property damage.

How To Stop An Overflowing Toilet

How many of us have experienced this nightmare? You flush the toilet. Instead of the water draining out of the bowl, it starts to rise. Pretty soon it reaches the rim of the bowl and begins to spill out onto the floor. As the water continues to overflow, the water begins to flow out of the bathroom and into other parts of the house.

Scary right? Don’t panic. Here’s what you need to do:

To stop the water from flowing out of your toilet, you need to stop it from flowing into your toilet. You can close the shut-off valve located on the water line that supplies your toilet. Or, you can lift the lid from the toilet tank and press down the flapper valve – a small rubber disk at the bottom of the tank – to stop the water flow. (Don’t worry, the water in the toilet tank is clean.)

Before you can turn the water back on, you’ll first have to address the problem that caused your toilet to overflow.

What Causes a Toilet to Overflow?

In nearly all cases, a toilet overflows because of a clog. A toilet can become clogged and begin to overflow for three reasons:

• You flushed too much waste and/or toilet paper at one time.
• You tried to flush objects that shouldn’t be flushed down a toilet. This can include food and kitchen waste, kitty litter and other pet waste, soil or dirt, paper towels, sanitary wipes, diapers, and feminine hygiene products to name a few.
• The sewer line is clogged and the water is backing up into the toilet.

Clearing a Clogged Toilet

There are several ways to clear a clogged toilet. You can use a drain snake or chemical cleaners. However, most people elect to use a plunger to dislodge the materials responsible for the clog. It may take a few tries to work. (To avoid a mess, wear rubber gloves and remove some of the water from the bowl before you start using the plunger to keep the water from splashing all over the place.)

Once you think the clog has been cleared, you can open the water valve again. Make a test flush to make sure everything’s back to normal. Be ready to shut off the water again if your efforts were unsuccessful.

An overflowing toilet could be a sign of a clog or other problem in your home’s sewer line. If your toilets persistently overflow, especially when you haven’t flushed any material down to the drain, you may need professional help. Contact 1st Choice Plumbing, Flood & Restoration to determine the cause of a persistent toilet problem.

Emergency Plumbing Services in Carlsbad, CA

If you’re experiencing an overflowing toilet or other plumbing emergencies in Carlsbad, CA give 1st Choice Plumbing, Flood & Restoration a call. We’ve been providing outstanding emergency plumbing services to home and business owners in Carlsbad, CA, and surrounding communities since 2012. Our team of licensed Carlsbad, CA plumbers is available 24/7 to handle whatever plumbing emergency you may be experiencing.

Contact 1st Choice Plumbing, Flood & Restoration through our website, or call us at 866-437-0205 to schedule an emergency service call. In most cases, a Carlsbad, Ca plumber can be on-site within an hour of your call.