Don’t Let an Overflowing Toilet Turn Into a Disaster

An overflowing toilet is a household emergency every homeowner will face sooner or later. You need to be prepared to act when a toilet begins to overflow. It doesn’t take long for an overflowing toilet to flood your home, causing thousands of dollars in property damage.

What Causes a Toilet to Overflow?

In most cases, an overflowing toilet is caused by a clog. Some common causes of toilet clogs include:

• Trying to flush too much waste and/or toilet paper at one time.
• Trying to flush non-flushable waste down the toilet, such as cotton balls, paper towels, feminine hygiene products, dental floss, diapers, etc.
• Children have a talent for finding all kinds of fun things to flush down a toilet!
• Flushing food and other kitchen waste, such as cooking grease or oil, down the toilet.
• Flushing pet waste, including kitty litter and waste bags, down the toilet.
• Weak or partial flushing can allow a clog to form over time.

In some instances, the cause of the clog may lie in your home’s main sewer line.

My Toilet is Overflowing! Now What?

You flush the toilet. Instead of draining, water begins to fill the bowl. And it doesn’t stop! It keeps rising until it overflows the bowl. Now water is flooding your bathroom door.

Don’t panic! And don’t try flushing again – that’s only going to make the problem worse. Here’s what you need to do:

Lift the lid from the toilet tank. Reach down and press down the flapper valve – a small rubber disk at the bottom of the tank. This will prevent more water from entering the bowl. (Don’t worry, the water in the toilet tank is clean.)

Next, shut off the water to the toilet. The shut-off valve is located on the water line that supplies your toilet.

Find the toilet float connected to the toilet’s fill valve. Rig the float so it won’t move around – as long as it stays in place, no additional water will fill the toilet tank.

Clearing a Toilet Clog

Now that you’ve stopped the flow, it’s time to address the cause of the clog. Put on some rubber gloves and use a toilet plunger to dislodge the material causing the clog. It may take a few tries to work. (Here’s a tip – remove some of the water from the bowl before plunging to keep the water from splashing all over the place.)

Once the toilet clog has been cleared, you can turn the water back on. Make a test flush to make sure everything’s back to normal. If not, be prepared to turn the water off again.

If the plunger won’t get rid of that clog, you may need professional help. Contact 1st Choice Plumbing, Flood & Restoration to come and clear your toilet clog.

Your First Choice for Emergency Plumbing Services in Oceanside, CA

If you are experiencing a stubborn toilet clog or other plumbing emergencies, 1st Choice Plumbing, Flood & Restoration is available 34/7 to fix any plumbing problem you may experience. In most cases, one of our licensed Oceanside, CA plumbers can be on-site within an hour of your call. We’ve been providing outstanding plumbing services to home and business owners in Oceanside, CA, and surrounding communities since 2012.

You can contact 1st Choice Plumbing, Flood & Restoration through our website, or call us at 866-437-0205 to schedule an emergency service call.