What Does It Mean When Sludgy Water Fills the Toilet While Plunging?
You may not realize just how important your toilet is until it breaks down. Your first instinct when the toilet starts to overflow is probably to plunge it with a rubber plunger until whatever's blocking the water shakes loose. However, there are times where the toilet bowl water may start to turn cloudy or sludgy as you're plunging. This could be the result of a buildup of material in the drain, or it may be a sign of a severe backup in a deeper waterline that may require a professional technician. Does this Spark an idea?
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Common Causes
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The most common cause of sludgy water is an excess buildup of material like hair, soap, dirt, grease and even food particles. This buildup may go unnoticed as it settles in your toilet drain, but you will eventually begin to notice that it takes longer and longer for the water to drain from the toilet bowl when flushed. The water will finally stop going down, leading to potential overflows, forcing you to use your trusty plunger. The sludge is caused by the loosening of the material as it mixes with the toilet water, turning it black or brown.
Deeper Blockages
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It's possible that the clog and resulting sludgy water may not be your fault. The toilet exhausts water from the house via what's known as the main drain, which leads outside. However, this main drain is susceptible to various material buildup. The buildup may be from sewage, sediment or even tree roots that have tapped the pipes in the ground. These blockages lead to the buildup of material that will prevent water from flushing properly and will result in a foul-smelling sludge when you plunge your toilet.
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Septic Failure
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Your house might use a septic tank, which is a large underground container outside your home that holds and treats your home's wastewater, including what flushes down the toilet. These septic systems, however, may occasionally fail or back up. This leads to blockages in your home, and your toilet water may not go down, leading you to get out that plunger again with the hope of fixing what you perceive to be a clog. This will cause any sludge or sewage in your drain pipe to reach up into the water bowl.
Diagnosis and Treatment
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Plumbing snakes will take care of most drain clogs. A plumbing snake looks like a metallic rope with a drill on the end, which you snake down into the pipes. The drill will break up and loosen any blockages, clearing the way. However, you may have a deeper blockage if the snake fails to do the trick, which will require a professional plumber to survey the problem. Have the technician take a look at your septic tank, if you have one, to determine if that is the root of your sludge problem.
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References
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