Why Do Toilets Get Clogged

Are you plunging your toilet at least once a week? Well, it is definitely bothersome. Here are the most probable reasons why your toilet just keeps on clogging:

You Are Flushing Things That Should Not Be There In The First Place.

The only stuff that should be flushed down your toilet is human waste or toilet paper, and nothing else that would not break down in the water. Common things that can cause clogs include facial tissues, tampons, condoms, Q tips or cotton swabs, diapers and dental floss. Make sure you have a garbage basket next to your toilet, where you can throw these things into.

There Is Something Stuck In The Toilet Trap.

A toilet trap is the S-shaped tube that separates the toilet from the drain line and keeps nasty sewer gases from entering your home. Sometimes, this part can get clogged due to something that was flushed down the toilet and got stuck in the trap. While a plunger can send all the debris down the drain and solve the problem, hard objects with complicated shapes can stay in the trap because they could not get through the trap’s S-curve. In this case, you have to remove your toilet off the floor and remove the clog from the bottom. If you are uncomfortable with this task, it is best to hire a professional to get the job done to avoid mistakes that can lead to even more serious problems and more costs. If you are doing it yourself, make sure you replace the wax ring, which is a seal that keeps wastewater from leaking into your bathroom.

You Have a Blocked Plumbing Vent.

Your toilet drain most likely vents out through your roof, helping your toilet with flushing properly. Now, if this vent is blocked by something, like a bird’s nest, your toilet will not flush properly. The slow flushing means that larger loads would not get flushed completely, which can result to a recurring clog that keeps you using your plunger. Clearing the plumbing vent requires you to work from the roof, so it might be best to let the professionals do it.

The Flapper Is Not Opening Completely.

The flapper is a toilet component that allows water to flow from the tank down into the bowl when you flush it. And if it does not open completely, it will not release enough amount of water that gives you a powerful flushing pressure. You can fix this problem by adjusting the chain that connects it to the flush handle.

There Are Problems To Your Sewer Line.

If you are experiencing clogs not just in your toilet, but also in other drains, you might be having some kind of problem in your sewer line. Causes could be tree roots growing into the line or a partial clog in the line that was never removed from plunging. To clear out your sewer line, you will definitely need a professional.

You Have An Old, Low-Flow Toilet.

If you are using an older toilet model, it just might not have enough flushing pressure. As you can see, low-flow toilets did not impress homeowners when they first came out, so you might want to replace your unit with a more modern version.

Now, when you experience a toilet clog, you already know where to check with the list of problems above.

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