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The Clogged Toilet: Why Does It Happen & How to Prevent It?

Toilets are the part of our home that we don’t mind much–that is until they stop working! This is when panic and chaos set in. And while it’s common sense that we shouldn’t throw just about anything in the toilet, accidents can happen.

If clogging occurs frequently, you may be wondering “why does my toilet keep clogging, and how can I fix it?” In such circumstances, it’s best to contact a professional to check out the situation. Taking care of the matter incorrectly may lead to serious plumbing issues and expensive repairs.

Let’s see how toilets get clogged and why!

How Do Toilets Get Clogged?

So, how do toilets get clogged? There are numerous explanations for this. The main thing is to identify the major issue behind the blockage and eliminate it.

Let’s take a look at some of the potential reasons for toilet clogs:

The Trap Is Blocked

The trap is the curved channel behind the toilet that connects the drain pipes with the toilet. It is designed to prevent the horrific sewer gasses from passing back into the house through the toilet drain.

It is a useful part of the plumbing system, yet it is the place where many clogs occur. The clogs can often be fixed with a toilet plunger, but sometimes the intervention may be more serious and require a professional’s help.

The Plumbing Vent Is Obstructed

The house plumbing system consists of more than just pipes bringing in water and drainpipes removing wastewater. There are also ventilation pipes that run up and through the roof and keep the pressure stabilized to prevent water from siphoning out. They are responsible for increasing the toilet’s flushing power and allowing fresh air to enter.

The plumbing ventilation system may be clogged by leaves and debris at the outlet and can be cleaned by hand.

The Sewer Backed Up

A sewer backup is something we want to prevent under all circumstances. If there is a clog in the sewer system, wastewater doesn’t drain properly, backing up as a result. The blockage occurs in the connection between the main house sewer line and the municipal sanitary sewers. If you notice slow drains in the house, the sewer line might be an issue.

Why Does My Toilet Keep Clogging: The Most Common Culprits

Problems with your toilet and plumbing system usually point to issues like clogging. We need to learn how to keep toilet from clogging to protect against any further damage.

Take a look at some of the most common cause of clogs:

Excessive Flushing of Toilet Paper

Toilet paper is safe and intended to go through sewage pipelines. However, the use of excessive amounts of toilet paper can clog the pipes due to not being able to dissolve properly. What happens is that the excess paper sticks in the drain lines or the toilet and creates a clog.

There are many brands of toilet paper available on the market today. While some of them are comfortable to use, they may not dissolve well and create big problems.

Flushing Non-Flushable Items

Toilet paper and human waste are the only items that are meant to go down the toilet. Don’t be surprised that your toilet is clogged if you frequently flush down other paper and hygiene products.

Flushable wipes, cotton balls, and Q-tips cause the biggest problems. While you may think that it is safe for these items to go down the toilet, plumbers will disagree.

Using a Low-Flow Toilet

Sometimes, the problem is not what we flush down the toilet, but the toilet itself. Homes that have older low-flow models of toilets can also experience clogs. Because there isn’t enough water pressure to push the material through the system, it remains behind and creates clogs.

What Does It Mean When Your Toilet Keeps Clogging?

You are doing everything by the book, yet a clogged toilet is still a big issue. So what does it mean when your toilet keeps clogging? The reasons may be many and often related to a series of problems. In this case, turn tol a professional and let them inspect the system and identify the problem.

Cummings Plumbing Heating and Cooling have been offering solutions for clogs to customers since 1983. Whether you need toilet repair or installation, a drain replacement, repiping, drain cleaning, and more, we are here to help. Give us a call!

How to Prevent Toilet Clogs?

It is often better to prevent than to cure, so we need to learn how to prevent toilet clogs. Below are some tips on how to prevent clogs from occurring in the future.

Flush Less Toilet Paper

As we mentioned, toilet paper is designed to go through sewer pipes, but it can also be a silent enemy. Using a lot of it at once may lead to clogs. Try to conserve paper by using only as much as needed. If there is a need for more paper, flush frequently to allow the toilet to “do its job.”

Flush Cautiously

The only thing that should be found in a toilet is paper, water, and human waste. The trash can is the place for Q-tips, tampons, sanitary pads, cotton balls, and wipes. You can prevent clogs by placing these items where they belong.

Accidents happen and plumbers do find unimaginable items in toilets, like wallets, phones, coins, toys, toilet bowl fresheners, and more. So, be careful what you bring near your toilet!

Keep the Toilet Lid Closed

If you have shelves packed with items right above your toilet bowl, something may fall inside without you noticing. So, keep the lid closed and prevent this. It’s a very useful habit to have, especially if you have kids that tend to throw things in the toilet.

Watch the Tree Roots

If you are cautious about what goes down the toilet and it still gets clogged, the problem is likely unrelated to you. Having large trees in the yard whose roots grow into the pipes and clog them might be the problem. If this is the case, call a plumber to check and see how you can keep this under control.

FAQ

What do professional plumbers use to unclog drains?

Professional plumbers use diverse tools that aid in clearing clogs. Some of these tools include manual drain snakes, motorized drain snakes, high-definition cameras for drains and sewer lines, and hydro-jetting machines.

Manual drain snakes are used for simple toilet and drain clogs and clearing debris. The more sophisticated motorized snakes are used for the removal of tree root infiltration, but also for clearing sewage, food waste, and grease clogs.

The cameras are a technological advancement, allowing plumbers to look in the pipe interior and locate the cause. The most powerful tool is the hydro-jetting machine, which can remove old and persistent buildups of soap and grease.

Will a clogged toilet eventually dissolve?

It would be nice if a problem could go away after some time, but unfortunately, it will need attention. Most clog material is not soluble in water so it will not go away on its own. Diapers, tampons, flushable wipes, oils, and starches from foods will need to be removed.

There is a slight possibility that the clog may eventually go away on its own if it is caused by excess toilet paper or fecal matter. They may dissolve over time, but it is up to you whether you’d want to leave that clog without handling it.

How do you unclog a toilet when a plunger doesn’t work?

A plunger is always the number-one choice when unclogging a toilet, but there are situations where you don’t have access to one. One possibility is using dish soap to lubricate the clogged pipe so that the debris can slide through easily. If the dish soap trick doesn’t work, pour hot water from a higher level and hope that the force dislodges the clog.

Baking soda and vinegar can also be used as a replacement for dish soap. This combo is known to do wonders in cleaning and removing dirt and debris, so it is worth a try. Let it fizz for 30 minutes and use hot water to push out the clog.

If none of the above works and you are left with a more severe clog, you can try using a drain snake. If you don’t have one, a wire coat hanger will do the job.

Will bleach unclog a toilet?

Drain-clean chemicals have proven to be more effective in unclogging than bleach, which is also a chemical. Known for its cleaning properties and removing stains, it is an option to be considered in removing a clog from your toilet. High in chlorine, bleach is used to break up chemical bonds by releasing oxygen molecules. The same chemical process applies in unclogging the toilet, especially if the clog is made of organic materials or toilet paper.

Pour 2-3 cups of bleach into the toilet and give it 10-15 minutes to start working. Then flush the toilet and hope that it has managed to remove the clog. Be careful not to use the bleach in combination with other chemicals to avoid triggering an unwanted chemical reaction.

Leaky Hot Water Tank? Cummings Plumbing Explains What to do Before the Plumber Gets There

Leaky hot water tanks are a common occurrence in many households. Knowing what to do in an emergency situation, such as when you spot a leak, is important in order to keep your house safe and free from damage. 

Cummings Plumbing Heating & Cooling is a plumbing and HVAC company based in Tucson, Arizona. Their specialty lies in repairing and installing residential and commercial plumbing, heating, and cooling systems. They provide a few tips on what to do when you have a leaky hot water tank. 

Figure Out the Source of the Leak

Notice a leak in your hot water tank? The first course of action is to determine the source of the leak. Cummings Plumbing Heating & Cooling of Tucson, Arizona, claims that more often than not, it isn’t actually your hot water tank leaking, but something else. Whatever you do, don’t panic. Instead, take the time necessary to figure out where the leak might be coming from and if it is even a leak that you’re dealing with. For example, not all water found at the base of a hot water tank is necessarily a leak. Sometimes condensation can form and as it builds, it causes droplets of water to land on the floor. In addition, something else, such as the water softener discharge lines, furnace drain lines, or another plumbing issue could be the cause of the leak. In order to determine the source, dry the area and then inspect the hot water tank for signs of a leak. If you don’t notice anything obvious, inspect any other possible sources (remember to look up as water will always drip down). If you still aren’t sure, place some paper towels on the floor over the area where you found the original puddle of water. Check back every few hours to see if any water has returned. If the water doesn’t return after a day or two, it was likely just a build up of condensation; however, if it returns and you haven’t found any other obvious leak, then it is more likely your hot water tank.

Turn Off the Power

As soon as you have determined that your hot water tank is responsible for the leak, Cummings Plumbing of Tucson, Arizona, claims that your next course of action should be to turn off the power supply to the hot water tank. If you have an electric water heater, there should be an “off” switch for your water heater on the circuit breaker box. Alternatively, if you have a gas water heater, you should be able to find an “off” switch or dial on the tank itself, usually towards the bottom. Ideally, you want to avoid turning off the gas shut-off valve, as these can be quite finicky and hard to turn back on.

Turn Off the Water Supply

Cummings Plumbing’s final piece of advice for a DIY repair of your leaky hot water tank is to turn off the water supply. Before a plumber arrives, do your best to turn off the water supply to your house by turning the cold water shut-off valve to “off.” Typically, cold water shut-off valves either have a handle that you will pull down on or a dial that can be turned clockwise. It’s important to note here that Cummings Plumbing does not recommend closing the cold water shut-off valve if you can’t reach it without coming into contact with water. Thus, if you’re unable to turn it off, then your only option will be to turn off the house’s main shut-off valve; however, this will cut off any and all water supply to your house. One benefit to shutting off the main water supply valve is that it should completely stop, or at the very least, slow down the leak. 

Top DIY Plumbing Mistakes

Who doesn’t love a “do it yourself” project? Most people are intrigued by the idea of taking on a DIY task, especially one that might save them money and help them learn something new along the way. However, when it comes to the complicated art of plumbing, taking a DIY approach can be an unmitigated disaster, especially if you fail to do the necessary research in advance. 

Cummings Plumbing Heating and Cooling is a plumbing and HVAC company based in Tucson, Arizona, whose specialty is repairing and installing residential and commercial plumbing, heating, and cooling systems. Cummings Plumbing has been proudly serving their customers for nearly four decades, having first opened their doors in 1983. Needless to say, they know what they’re doing when it comes to all things plumbing. This makes them the perfect company to provide their expertise on the subject of DIY plumbing. The company highlights what they view as the top three DIY plumbing mistakes. 

Overtightening Connections

According to Cummings Plumbing, the top DIY plumbing mistake is when people over tighten connections. Connections, such as pipes, supply tubes, and fittings, need to be watertight in order to function properly. And so, people think that in order to make them watertight, they should tighten them more than necessary. This is a mistake, as often these connections already come with a watertight seal and tightening them more is not only unnecessary but can actually damage the fittings and break the rubber or plastic washers used to create the seal. Further, tightening a pipe too much can also lead to cracked plastic fittings, which makes the entire thing useless. Such a crack may not occur immediately, but the excessive force caused by the tightening can be enough to weaken it until a few weeks later, it cracks and you’re dealing with a flood. 

Over Relying on Drain Cleaner

Cummings Plumbing Heating and Cooling of Tucson, Arizona, shares the second most common DIY plumbing mistake: over relying on drain cleaner. While chemical drain cleaners can sometimes be effective at eliminating minor clogs, they ultimately do more harm than good when it comes to your pipes. This is because the harsh chemicals drain cleaners contain can significantly damage the pipes and fixtures, especially if you use too much at one time or use it regularly. In addition, if the drain cleaner doesn’t clear up the clog, then it might just be left sitting on top of the drain, which presents a toxic danger to anyone within close contact, even creating a breathing hazard. Instead, when you have a clogged drain, you should either use a drain snake or other barbed drain cleaning tool, or if that isn’t an option, create a concoction out of natural cleaning ingredients, such as vinegar, baking soda, salt, and hot water to ease the problem.

Failing to Turn off the Water

Turning off the water might seem like plumbing 101, but you’d be surprised how many people forget this small but crucial step. Tarizurning off the water should be the very first step in any DIY plumbing project. Failure to do so can result in an expensive disaster, where water sprays from a loosened pipe connection or pours freely out of a pipe after a fixture is removed. Not only will this lead to a huge mess, it can also mean more damage to your house that has to be fixed. In addition, you’ll become so preoccupied with fixing the new problem that it’ll take much longer to fix the original problem you were working on. Further, Cummings Plumbing reminds all DIY plumbers to remember that shutting off the water source doesn’t mean there will magically be no water in your pipes all of a sudden. That is why after shutting it off but before you start working on the plumbing, Cummings Plumbing of Tucson, Arizona, always recommends that you run the kitchen or bathroom faucets for a few seconds to make sure they’re really clear. 

What Happened to the Hot Water??

The colder temperatures are on the way here in Arizona – and with that comes water heater breakdowns. In order to avoid a cold shower when you least expect it, be on the lookout for signs that your water heater might need to be repaired or replaced. Below are the top signs of water heater malfunction to be on the lookout for!

  • Sounds – if your water heater is making noise, it’s usually bad news. That means there’s sediment build-up in bottom of the hot water tank that is being shaken around. As the sediment moves around, it hits the water heater elements, sides of the tanks, and tubing. This causes natural wear and eventually results in failure
  • Rusty Water – If the water comes out of your pipes looking muddy, sandy, or rusty, this usually means that the sediment has caused problems in pipes and in the water heater and has now contaminated your water. Your water heater should be inspected and the likelihood of it needing to be replaced will be pretty high.
  • Leaks – Water heater leaks are not normal. They can actually be dangerous because it’s leaking hot water. Sediment, rust, or some sort of malfunction has caused the wall of the water heater or a pipe to be compromised. Because water heaters are under pressure, this creates a very unsafe condition.
  • Water that has a Smell or Taste – If the water has a smell or taste, that can mean that a heating element in the water heater is malfunctioning, there is metal in the water, or there is another issue that is causing the smell or taste. Weird smells and tastes should be checked out as soon as possible because it could be hazardous to your health.
  • Water that is not the Correct Temperature – If your hot water is only coming out warm, even after a long absence of being used, that means that the heating elements are no longer working properly, or that there could be other issues causing a lack of power supply to the heating element. You should get this checked to ensure that there isn’t a larger problem.
  • Frequent Repairs – Sometimes, getting a water heater repaired is a good solution instead of getting an actual replacement. However, after so many repairs, it may be time to just replace the entire water heater altogether. Remember that water heaters work under pressure. You have gallons of hot water in your home under pressure and if you have a faulty water heater, it may be in your best interest to just get a brand new one.
  • Age – The life expectancy on a typical water heater is generally between 8 and 10 years. This can be even less if you don’t have a proper filtration system, or your water heater hasn’t had regular maintenance. Even if you aren’t experiencing any of the symptoms above, it is a good idea to have a professional check your unit for functionality if you know its getting up there in years. As with anything, water heaters need to be maintained as they age.

Cummings Plumbing Heating and Cooling offers professional service for water heater repair and replacement! For more information about our water heater services, give us a call or click here to book an appointment.