Reasons Why Your Toilet May Keep Clogging
Recurring toilet clogs can be caused by a variety of issues, ranging from what you flush to a sewer line backup. Some of these issues are more under your control than others.
Here are some of the problems that might be leading to that dreadful clog and what can be done to fix the issue.
Sources of Clogs You Can Fix
- Flushing items not meant to be flushed: Toilets were designed to handle human waste, toilet paper, and not much else. Even wipes that are marketed as ‘flushable’ can get stuck in the pipes of your appliance and plumbing. Try adjusting what you flush and see if it makes a difference.
- Using too much toilet paper: Even if toilets were designed and tested to handle toilet paper, they can only handle so much. Toilets with higher MaP (maximum performance) ratings can flush more at one time, but any amount larger than 500 grams (about 17 oz.) is pushing it.
- Issue with the toilet trap: The S-shaped curve in the pipe that the waste is supposed to go down is called the trap, and it is often where clogs get lodged in. These clogs can be cleared by an auger or plunger.
- Issue with the toilet vent: In order to prevent noxious gas from the sewer coming up through the pipes, toilets are vented, and a clog in the vent piping can lead to slow flushing or clogs. These cent pipes are usually thin and hidden in the walls and feed up to the roof. If you can have someone flush the toilet while up on the roof, then you should be able to locate it by sound. Try augering it to strengthen your flushes.
- Your toilet could be wet-vented: wet venting connects the pipes of multiple appliances together, so instead of clearing a clog specifically for the toilet, you’ll have to try clearing the drains of the other appliances.
Clogs that Need a Professional Plumber
- Issues in the sewer line: If your plumbing connects to a public sewer, then there could be a blockage somewhere outside of your property that is causing clogs up the line. Diagnosing and remedying such clogs needs to be done by a licensed professional.
- Outdated toilet: Sometimes, toilet models designed in years gone by cannot handle the modern pressures. If your clogging unit has not been renovated or replaced since the 1980s, then it may be high time to find a plumber.
If you already tried the above tips with little effect, or if you are more inclined to leave the job to a pro, then be sure to call (219) 322-4906 for Northern Indiana’s very own Reichelt Plumbing.