We use our toilets everyday in our homes without often giving it much thought until it happens. I’m talking about toilet clogs. Every homeowner fears clogged toilets but it doesn’t cross their minds until it actually happens. Overflowing or clogged toilets can be super frustrating. Not only does it leave your toilet in a mess but it could also pose some serious plumbing challenges to your home.
Not all clogs come in the same form. There are some clogs that require a plumber to unclog and there are others you can easily deal with yourself.
What Causes A Toilet Clog?
While most homeowners think toilet clogs occur as a result of waste, here are a few other things that contribute to clogged toilets leaving your toilet messy and no longer a convenient place for you.
- Toys or other objects
- Low water flow
- Too much waste at a time
- Waste line problems
- Backup in the drain line
- Blocked plumbing vent
If you are experiencing low water flow, there isn’t much you can do. Your toilet is possibly old and most of the old WCs have very low water flows. You might consider using less paper or better still use a trash can to deposit used paper. This method can be adopted until you change your WC to a newer model. Using less paper helps the system deal with the amount of content thrown at it since the water flow is low.
However if you do not have a low water flow, here are few methods you can use to unclog your toilet:
- Stop the overflow: When your toilet overflows, it can cause some damages to your bathroom floor and walls as water seeps into them. To deal with toilet overflows, take off the lid of the toilet and make sure the flapper is closing off more water from entering the pot or bowl. Shut off the water by turning off the tap to ensure the water supply to the flush tank is cut off. Be certain that water stops flowing to the tank before you proceed.Quickly mop the toilet floors to take care of the mess created as bacteria can spread easily as a result. You can Hire a Cleaner to take care of this for you so you have your toilet spotless again. However, if your toilet is not overflowing this is not a solution for you.
- Reach for the plunger: Most homeowners are familiar with plunging the toilet. However, its important to know the type of plunger to use during toilet clogs. Not all plungers are appropriate for toilet clogs. In situations like this you must go in for a flange plunger which looks similar to the sink plunger with a lip at the end so you can insert it right into the drain to create a better suction and hopefully removing the clog. Its always important to keep a plunger handy as you might not know when clogs occur.
- Try an enzyme cleaner: If you have natural waste composition rather than non-flushable objects like toys clogging your toilet then an enzyme cleaner could help remove the clog. You can purchase an enzyme cleaner from a local store. Enzyme cleaners often take sometime to work mostly overnight. Liquid enzyme drain cleaners are often not recommended by pros as they can do more harm than good to your plumbing, so you might want to go for a natural enzyme cleaner
- Get a toilet auger: If nothing has worked so far its time to invest into a toilet auger. These lines are flexible and can reach down into the base of the toilet hopefully removing anything in its path.
- Time to call a plumber: If you have tried everything above with no results then the time is right to call a plumber. There is the possibility that there is a problem with your sewage line or the clog goes deep down the pipeline. Whatever the problem is, a plumber is your best bet of finding it and help you find a solution to it. A typical toilet repair could cost between Ghc 150 to Ghc 280 depending on the work involved. Call a Plumber today to have this problem rectified as soon as possible.
Replacing The Toilet
Sometimes clogs could become a thing with your toilet when you have low water flow with the older toilet models. You can keep using the temporary method of less toilet paper to avoid clogs however, the best thing to do is replace the toilet with a newer model as you might not know when those clogs would result into a major plumbing issue. Removing and installing a new toilet typically costs between Ghc 220 to Ghc 350.Â
Conclusion
While I do not wish for you to experience any toilet clogs, I’m happy that you now have a few tricks up your sleeves if it happens. At least you are prepared now right? You know exactly what to do.
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