How To Fix A Clogged Toilet

If you’re panicking at the moment of rising water and a blocked toilet, do this: On the wall immediately behind and near the toilet is a valve. Turn it one way or the other until you hear the running water stop.

If you’re not panicking but are instead staring down at the contents of a blocked toilet bowl, you need to do two things. First, you need to find a toilet plunger. Next, you’ll want to take a moment and reflect on how you got here. But for now, how about that toilet plunger?

Best Way To Unclog A Toilet: A Toilet Plunger

As unlikely as it seems not all toilet plungers are created equal. And to unclog a stubborn toilet you’ll want to know a good one from a bad one. What makes a good toilet plunger? Simple, it’s the style and quality of the rubber attached to the bottom of the stick.

Take into consideration how a toilet plunger works to clear a blocked toilet. First, the actual plunger makes a seal around the opening at the bottom of the toilet. Second, when you give the stick a forceful push down or a gentle pull up, the plunger sends the clog a push pull jet of water to dislodge it.

What does any of this mean when shopping for a toilet plunger? Spend a few bucks and get a good toilet plunger.

Best Toilet Plunger To Clear A Blocked Toilet

Good toilet plungers are shaped like a bell, not a cup. In addition, good toilet plungers have a circular protrusion of rubber extending from the main rubber part. Compared to the cheaper and often red colored plungers, the black bell shaped plungers make a more powerful jet when you firmly push down.

In addition to the plunger’s shape, the rubber’s thickness makes or breaks a toilet plunger. Thicker rubber means you can give the tool a firmer push. More important, the thicker rubber won’t collapse and just fold over in defeat when you’re working to unclog a super clogged toilet.

What To Do When The Toilet Will Not Unclog With The Plunger

If the plunger is not unclogging the toilet because of a tough toilet clog, a different approach might help. That different approach comes by way of a tool called a closet snake.

Unlike a snake in a closet, a closet snake is designed to slither a flexible metal shaft through the toilet’s drain chamber and bore out the toilet clog. The tool itself looks like a narrow, tightly wound slinky with a jack-in-the-box handle at the other end.

The idea behind snaking a toilet bowl is to shove the slinky part down the toilet bowl opening at the bowl bottom and crank the handle. If all goes well, out pops the clog into the rest of the plumbing and it’s on its merry way to the septic tank or sewage treatment facility.

If things don’t go well, then you’ve got bigger toilet clog problems.

Reflecting On Toilet Clog Problems: How Did You Get Here

Okay, you’ve done all the steps to unclog your toilet, but the thing is, it still gets blocked. Well, here’s the thing, your toilet is fine but you’ve got a blocked main drain.

If you’re wondering if there are other ways to tell if you have a blocked main drain, here’s a quick list of things to ponder.

  • Toilet water going down slow
  • Toilet and shower not draining
  • Toilet and tub clogged
  • All your toilets are clogged

Any of these items point to main drain problems and you should give us a call. We can help figure out what’s going on and give you a direction to go. Call us at xxx.xxx.xxxx, we’ll be glad to help.

What Happens When Your Main Drain Is Blocked?

When main drains get blocked, there can be roots blocking the underground drain, or you could have a collapsed drain line. It won’t be possible to tell exactly what the problem is until you have your main drain looked at with a camera.

Keep in mind that putting in a main drain is also an opportunity to improve an important part of your home’s structure. Chances are your main drain is using old technology. Today, we put main drains in with heavy duty PVC pipe. The bad news is we have to dig up your yard to get at the pipe.

Another option is inserting a sleeve into the existing drain line. And, finally, you can have the main drain snaked. But the thing is if you snake a clogged main drain then it’s just a matter of time before it clogs again.

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