About Stopped-Up Toilets

Like all piping systems, toilets can get stopped up. Large pieces of matter, poor water pressure and items not meant to be disposed of in a toilet are all examples of items that can compromise a toilet's ability to function properly and remove bowl contents swiftly and effectively. There are several techniques that can be utilized to remove any clog from a toilet once the clotting matter has been identified.

Causes

While it may appear that the toilet merely consists of just the bowl and pump, a toilet system actually encompasses the piping that moves waste from the bowl to the septic or waste management repository. Though toilet pipes have a larger circumference than sink pipes, it is still easy to get them clogged. A common clogging agent is bathroom tissue. Now that many brands of toilet paper offer "strong," "quilted," and "thick" varieties, the amount needed to clean effectively is significantly less than most people feel they should use. These varieties tend to also be more absorbent, so when too many sheets are used they expand in the bowl water and create a clog.

Plungers

The most common method to eliminate a clog is to use a plunger to break up or loosen the obstruction. Plungers work by creating a suction seal in the pipe from the opening in the toilet bowl. Pushing the plunger up and down tightens the vacuum, effectively sucking the obstruction back up the pipe and folding it in on itself, making it smaller and easier to fit in the pipe when the toilet is flushed next.

Chemical Agents

An initial reaction to solving more stubborn toilet clogs is to use a corrosive drain agent like Draino to dissolve the obstruction. However, while drain chemicals work well in smaller piping systems, they often prove ineffective in toilets, or work at a much slower rate. These chemicals are also not recommended for toilet use as they can cause skin irritation and burning.

Plumbers

When a toilet is extremely stopped up and no other at-home method has worked, a professional plumber may need to be called to eliminate the clog. Plumbers have trade-specific tools meant to clear drains, such as pipe snakes, that can handle larger or thicker clogs more effectively than simple plungers. To fix the clog, plumbers may need to perform difficult procedures such as removing the entire toilet to reach into the pipe or accessing the pipe system from another location like the basement.

Prevention/Solution

There are several tips individuals can follow to eliminate the number and frequency of toilet clogs. One is to limit the number of bath tissues sheets used per flush, and teach any children in the household conservative toilet paper use. Another tip is to keep the toilet lid closed when not in use to prevent foreign objects from dropping into the bowl and clogging the pipes. A final tip is to only put waste matter and bath tissue in the bowl, and refrain from throwing any other material down the toilet.