Toilets are very important plumbing fixtures. They are responsible for disposing of all human waste from the house to the municipal sewer system or to your private septic tank. But like all other plumbing fixtures and appliances, toilets can develop all kinds of problems and faults at any given time. One of the most common toilet problems is clogging. Toilets clogs are very common. And as much as you can try to prevent these clogs from occurring, you should always be prepared to handle them when they do occur. Toilet clogs are mostly caused by careless water disposal habits whereby you dump all kinds of solid waste in the toilet and try to flush it down. The toilet is only designed to dispose human waste and tissue paper. All other waste products should be disposed of properly in the trash can or in designated waste disposal containers. Toilet clogs can also be caused by problems in the drainage system, such as tree root infiltration.
Whichever the cause of the clog, you should always be prepared to fix it. Toilet clogs usually cause the toilet to overflow. This happens when more water is added to the clogged toilet bowl. An overflowing toilet is a very serious plumbing problem, which may require calling for emergency plumbing services because it can flood your bathroom with sewage. That is why we have compiled this guide to help you fix an overflowing toilet with minimal mess.
The first thing that you should do when you realize that your toilet is overflowing is to cut off the water supply to that particular toilet. Each and every toilet in your house should have a main shutoff valve that controls the supply of water to the toilet tank. The toilet's main shutoff valve is usually located on the pipe that supplies the toilet tank with water. To stop the flow of water into the toilet tank and hence stem the overflow, close this valve immediately. If you cannot locate the pipe or the main shutoff valve, then it means that it's installed inside the wall or that it's concealed by the wall or floor tiles. In such a case, you will have to call a professional plumber for DC plumbing repair services. The plumber will locate the main shutoff valve and manually close it. You should also remember that the toilet's main shutoff valve can get sticky because it goes for years without use. It can also get rusty and struck. You should give it a turn every other day to ensure that it's always working properly.
You can also stop the flow of water into an overflowing toilet bowl at the water tank. You will have to remove the cover from the toilet tank and then reach down to the flapper. This is the hinged rubber disc at the bottom of the tank. It should open when the toilet is being flushed. If you find it still open, close it manually.
The float bowl is that plastic ball-like thingy floating in the toilet tank. It features a lever that controls the flow of water into the toilet bowl. Lifting the float bowl will prevent the flow of water into the overflowing toilet bowl.
After stopping the flow of water into the overflowing toilet bowl, you can now unclog the toilet with a plunger, a plumber's snake, or with the assistance of a professional plumber.