Causes, Troubles and Treatment for Your Clogged Toilet

One of the most taken for granted objects in the modern home is the toilet. That is, until something goes wrong with it. The fact is that a clogged toilet quickly presents a problem that effects everyone in the home. This is why you must prioritize getting your clogged toilet fixed the moment you discover it.

While in some instances you may be able to use a plunger in order to get it functioning properly again, this is not always going to work. Depending upon what is causing the clog and the location of the blockage, the plunger may have inadequate power to dislodge the substance and allow the toilet to flow properly again. Though there are products on the market designed for home use at unclogging drains, these should never be used in a toilet! Doing so will only exacerbate your troubles.

Understanding the things that can cause clogged toilets will help you to determine what may be the reason you are currently experiencing trouble, and how you can take steps to avoid future clogs. There are four main reasons that toilets become clogged:

Clogged Toilet Paper

Among the most common of objects to clog toilets today is various types of paper. Though toilet paper is made to flush and degrade in sewer and septic systems, there is a limit to how much can be flushed at one time. An excessive amount used due to diarrhea or by a youngster still determining the amount needed as part of their toilet training can lead to a clogged toilet if enough water cannot flow through to encourage the paper to move.

Additionally, some people make the mistake of flushing cotton balls or paper towels down the toilet. Neither of these is designed to travel down drains. These products can expand in your drain pipe, increasing the difficulty with the clog. And, though tampons are flushable, not all of the parts are. The applicator and wrapper should always be wrapped and appropriately discarded in a garbage can. Though the tampon itself should flush without incident, if there is an excess of toilet paper already in the bowl, there is the possibility of it becoming part of a clog.

Toilet Clogged With Kitchen Grease

For some reason, there are those who believe that discarding used grease from the kitchen down the toilet is a good idea. While it does get it out of the way, it can very easily create a messy clog in the pipes of your toilet. Just as the grease hardens in the pot if you leave it sitting on the stove after dinner, the grease will harden in your pipes, creating a clog that requires quick and professional treatment. Because the toilet flushes cold water only, it will ensure that the grease clog remains hardened.

Toys and Other Objects

Small children are fascinated by seeing how different things work together and often enjoy sneaking into the bathroom to perform various experiments with toy disassembly and inspection. Unfortunately, there are often small pieces of toys that end up in the toilet as a result of these play sessions. When flushed, these can gather in such a way along the curve of your drain pipe that they will not move.

Even if there is still some water flowing past this type of clog, you still need to have it fixed immediately. Otherwise, when someone defecates, it will turn into an even bigger and messier clogged toilet than you had with just the toys.

Toilet Blocked With Food

Another object that finds it’s way into the drains of toilets on a regular basis is food. Many people use their toilet when cleaning out their refrigerator in order to discard old or unwanted food items. The justification appears to be that it is similar to the digested foodstuffs toilets are designed to handle. However, they are simply not the same.

First of all, the food from your kitchen is cold, old and hard. It may have large or awkward lumps that in no way simulate the construction of feces. If multiple containers of old food are emptied, or even just a few that have particularly chunky contents, it is very possible that you will end up clogging your toilet.

This type of clog is quite messy because you will have rotten food floating around your toilet, and possibly even overflowing onto your bathroom floor. Though you will still have to get a plumbing contractor to help you deal with this clog, you should also make a mental note of the lesson to never flush food down the toilet.

If you have a clogged toilet, find a qualified plumbing contractor who operates in the Chicago area. Contact them for an appointment to get your current needs taken care of and to develop a relationship for your future plumbing contractor needs.