One of the most common and frustrating plumbing problems that homeowners have to handle is a clogged toilet. It can be very inconvenient, often arriving at the most inopportune times. While most clogs are easily taken care of with a few basic tools and some good old-fashioned grease, other situations may require professional help. This guide will walk you through how to unclog a toilet by yourself, and also help identify when it’s time to call in the pros.
What Causes Toilet Clogs?
To help eliminate the type of blockage described above, it is important to know how such situations happen so that you can avoid them. Most clogs happen when someone tries to flush something other than waste or too much toilet paper down the hole. Once in a while, clogs can be brought about by minerals aggregating or different obstacles inside the funnels. Identify the cause of the blockage Decide what prevention method you will use next If it is a clog, figure out if you can solve this yourself or if someone like Delta Plumbers needs to be hired respectively
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Supplies You’ll Need
Before you start, make sure you have the following supplies:
A specially made flange plunger with a flat rim, typically used on toilets or urinals.
Auger (a plumbing snake)
Rubber gloves (to cover your hands)
OLD TOWELS (ANY SPILLS OR OVERFLOWS)
Bucket (to discharge excess water if applicable)
Disinfectant to clean the area after repairs
Step 1: Assess the Situation
But a good assessment of the clog must be taken before we jump into that. All Toilet Clogs Are Not Created Equal If the water is not draining at all, or if it drains very slowly then you are most likely encountering a severe blockage. In this case, if it is a light clog, the water may become high in the bowl but overtime will drain. You can probably take care of this with just a plunger.
That said, if multiple fixtures in your home — like sinks, showers or other toilets aren’t draining as well (or at all) you may have a larger issue with the plumbing system of your house; such as a blockage occurring on its main sewer line. If this is the case, a more serious issue could be involved and you will need to contact a professional plumber.
Step 2: Use the Plunger
The most basic wall in the face of a clogged toilet will always be your trusty plunger. Always use a flange plunger which is specifically designed for toilets. The cup of this plunger has a flange which is made of a separate flap to help get a better seal over the hole in the bottom of most toilets, this important part must be there for good plunging.
Seal it:
Place the plunger in the toilet bowl to seal off the drain completely. Take care to keep the flange well below the drain so it can seal.
Start Off Slowly with a Gentle Plunge The idea is that you want to inject air into the clog while adding further force.
Step 3: Add Pressure
As soon as you have a solid seal going on, start to work that plunger with more pressure. Apply solid, concise up-and-down pushes. Check for the drain after 10 to 15 plunges.
Step 4: Test the Drainage water drains
Test the Drainage water drains without any problem, try flushing your toilet again to check if it fixes the issue or not After that, flush the toilet and if it goes down without any issues you may have just resolved your clog.
Option: Attempt a Plumbing Snake (Auger)
If the plunger you used in Step 3 doesn’t work, now it’s time to use a plumbing snake (sometimes referred to as an auger). It is best to reach directly inside the pipes and crush or pull out to cause blocking.
Snake into Position: Insert the auger into the toilet drain and slowly push down. You’ll eventually feel and provide resistance when it hits the clog.
Turn and Tilt: Rotate the handle of your auger to work it through or break up the clog. Depending on how hard or tricky it is, you might repeat pulling the snake out and putting it back far enough to finally free up your blockage.
Retest the Drain: When you feel like that block has been cleared, gently remove your snake from out of the drain. Now, flush the toilet to check if it is unblocked.
Step 5: Clean Up
Once you have effectively unclogged your bathroom Carry out a deep clean of the surrounding area. Sanitize your tools with disinfectant, as well as the toilet and any surfaces that may have come into contact with contaminated water during handling. Dispose of or also disinfect rubber gloves after usage.
Common DIY Mistakes to Avoid
So, it might be very tempting to try and solve the plumbing problem (no follow link) (yourself but there are still some common mistakes you want to avoid. How to Unclog a Toilet effectively can sometimes depend on using the right tools and techniques.
The Problem: Wrong Plunger Recommended Solution Always use a flange plunger for toilets. Common plungers are useless as they won’t create a good seal for the toilet bowl.
Flushing Too Fast: When a toilet is clogged, avoid the temptation to flush fast repeatedly. The toilet can overflow when flushed.
