Toilet overflow is a serious problem that can cause flooding in your home. A toilet that keeps running indicates problems. If you have a toilet overflowing, it is important to understand what causes the overflow are and how to prevent it. Some common causes of toilet overflow are sewage tanks being too full and excessive use of toilet paper. Read on for some tips on how to stop a toilet from overflowing.
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What are the different cause of a toilet overflow?
There are a few different problems that can cause your toilet to overflow. One common cause of overflowing toilets is the sewage tank being too full. When this happens, water can spill over into the bowl and onto the floor. You will have to call a company to come and drain the tank.
Another problem that can lead to overflowing toilets is the excessive use of toilet paper. When you use too much toilet paper, it can clog up the pipes and cause them to overflow. It is also possible that clogs have been created due to flushing things such as tampons, hair, cat litter, towels, wet wipes, or other items that shouldn’t be flushed.
A common reason why toilets are overflowing is that tree roots have grown in the drains. This makes it impossible for the waste to move. Then it gets back up and overflows the toilet. A plumber will have to come out to remove these. Let’s take a look at how this is done:
A blocked vent in your drain system can also cause the toilets to overflow. The plumber might have to check how your system has been designed and determine if there is a venting issue. The air mixes with water. This allows gravity to push the waste down the drains. If air can’t go in the pipes, the water will get stuck (in a vacuum).
Sometimes the angle of the pipes is not correct. Another issue is that the plumber might have used drains that are not wide enough. All of these installation problems can lead to your toilet overflowing as well.
If the wax ring under your toilet has broken, it is possible that water comes out of your toilet. This can lead to nasty stains and should be repaired as soon as possible.
As you can see, there are several reasons why a toilet might overflow. Plumbers often have a camera to see what is going on. This makes it easy to diagnose the problem.
Preventing a clogged toilet from overflowing with the help of a plunger
No need to worry if your toilet is overflowing and you’re not home. There are some ways you can prevent overflow without even being there. One way to prevent toilet overflow is by using a plunger, which can be found at most hardware stores or online. The plunger will help push the water down into the bowl of the toilet so it doesn’t spill out onto the floor. To avoid flooding, follow these easy steps:
1) Get a plunger for toilets (these are different than the ones for sinks). Put your plunger in the toilet
2) Add water to the toilet. This can add some more pressure on the clog later on.
3) Press firmly on the stem of the plunger
4) Release the pressure and press again.
5) You might need to remove the plunger a few times.
7) Repeat steps 1-5 until there is no more clog in your toilet. It is possible that you can get it fixed with a plunger though.
Plungers can’t solve all the problems but they are a great way to get started as they can solve a lot of issues. We have discussed unblocking a toilet here before. This can include installing a special piece on your pressure washer.
Preventing toilet overflow by limiting use of toilet paper
Toilet paper is one of the primary causes of overflow when it comes to your toilet. Toilet paper can absorb a lot of water, which can cause the tank to be filled up and overflow into your bathroom on a regular basis. To prevent this from happening, limit the amount of toilet paper you use at one time and make sure there is adequate water in the toilet tank. This will help to avoid overflow and also save you money in the long run by not having to refill your tank as often.
If new water keeps flowing in your toilet from the sides instead of underneath, it is possible that the toilet itself is broken instead of the drain. If there is no blockage but the toilet keeps leaking water, the toilet tank might be broken. It is also possible that the water supply doesn’t shut off. If you notice that a lot of water is coming out fast, this can be the cause. Turning off the water by switching the valve next to the toilet (or in the toilet tank) often stops this.
A final element might be that the flapper is blocked. You will have to open the toilet tank and give it a good clean.
Toilet overflow in appartment
If you have a toilet overflowing in your apartment, there might be an issue with the drains. Sometimes pipes are installed that are too small and are not able to deal with all the waste.
It is also possible that the drains are blocked because someone flushed a towel or wet wipes. Systems are not designed for this and they might clog quite easily.
A toilet overflowing can also be caused by a broken air vent or lack of air in the drains. A specialized plumber will have to check this out as it takes special equipment to get the mix between air and water right.
It is also possible that the sewage tank is full and needs to be drained. Normally this happens on a regular schedule but if the toilets have been used more often, they might get full.
These are the most common problems. It is also possible that a problem farther away from the apartment is backing up sewage and sending it back. A lot of rain or problems with the city sewer can lead to these problems. This can lead to a lot of damage and you can check with your insurance company if this is covered. If the city is at fault, they will often refund you.
What to do if your toilet overflows?
You can get a bucket and some towels. Furthermore, you can get a wet vacuum. These vacuums are able to suck up water. Their capacity is limited though. If there is really a lot of water coming out, it might be necessary to get a pump. There are a lot of types of pumps so make sure that you get the right one as it is quite easy to break a pump if you don’t get the right mix between water and dirt. The capacity of the pump can also differ. Finally, some pumps can pump water to a significant height in the air whereas others can’t.
You have to stop using the toilet and try to unclog it as soon as possible. In a lot of instances, people keep using the toilet as there is no alternative. If the plumber has to fix a toilet with poop in, he or she might charge more as it is a dirty job. Therefore you should try to contact a plumber as soon as possible if you can’t fix it with a plunger.
Try to determine the root cause of the problem and avoid this in the future. For example, if wet wipes are being flushed, make sure that this doesn’t happen again.
Toilet overflow is a serious problem in homes that can cause flooding. We have discussed some causes and how you can stop them from happening again. We have also suggested some fixes. In some instances, you will need to call a plumber to get help. It is a problem that needs to get addressed as soon as possible.
