Seeing your toilet overflow is indeed a horrifying sight to see. While panicking, you try to unclog it as much as possible, only to see it overflowing more while getting your bathroom dirty. The adrenaline and panic hit more, especially if you need to go somewhere immediately.
There are three possible reasons why your toilet is overflowing. It may be because you have a clogged drain, a blocked vent pipe, or a high filler float. Regardless of the cause, if the water doesn’t go down after trying to unclog it, here’s what you need to do:
Immediately Turn Off the Water
The first thing you must do to stop it from overflowing is to turn off the source of the water. The tank where the water is coming from will have a lid on it, so make sure to take it off and press the flapper down. You can also turn off the source of water going into the tank just to make sure no water can escape.
Most toilets nowadays have a small waterline with a shut-off valve that you can find behind the toilet. Do not turn the valve too tightly. It can damage the seals that prevent the water from leaking.
Lift the Float Ball Inside the Tank
If the water inside your toilet tank is clean, you can lift the float ball to stop the water from running. After that, find a cup where you can remove or take the excess water that’s overflowing in the tank and in the toilet. Once you’ve eliminated the excess water, you can try flushing the toilet once again. You can dispose of the water you’ve eliminated through the toilet again if it’s not clogged anymore.
Use a Plunger to Unclog the Toilet
If you’ve tried flushing the toilet without any excess water, but it still doesn’t unclog, it’s time to get the traditional unclogging tool that will help you. This tool is called a plunger.
To use a plunger, you need to align the rubber cup attached to the hole in the middle of your toilet bowl. Pump the plunger with pressure on the center hole. With enough force and speed, the plunger will temporarily suction the clogged area, which will let the water flow freely.
However, be careful with pumping to prevent the dirty water from spilling all over your toilet flow. If this doesn’t help, it’s time to call your local plumber to help you with your clogged toilet.
Be Careful When Flushing Your Toilet
As the saying goes, “prevention is better than cure.” It’s better to prevent your toilet from overflowing than having to deal with the consequences.
Flushing the toilet continuously without realizing that it’s clogged would result in overflowing. To prevent the toilet from overflowing, you must flush slowly after you use it. Make sure that the water flows successfully, and that it drains all the way down before flushing it again.
Moreover, prevent draining the waste and the toilet paper all at once. This will result in more clogging.
The Bottom Line
With fact action and with the right materials, you can fix your clogged toilet. It’s a normal response to panic, but you need to act fast to prevent it from flowing even more. A tip is to always keep a plunger near your toilet just in case it gets clogged after using it.
If your toilet is still clogged and overflowing after all of the tips given on the list above, it’s time to get help from a plumber. Here at Professor Plumb, we provide plumbing and drain services in Columbiana and Birmingham, Alabama. We are professionals that have over 20 years of experience. Contact us for your plumbing repair needs!