Why Does My Toilet Keep Clogging? What Can I Do to Unclog My Toilet & Avoid Blockages?
Why does my toilet keep clogging? There are many potential causes for your toilet to keep clogging. This includes problems with the drain lines or with the toilet itself. Smiley Drain Cleaning in New Jersey shares the main reasons for toilet clogs, and shows solutions that can be used to prevent them from happening again in your home.
Why is Your Toilet Always Clogging?
Toilet clogs can be a sign that something serious is wrong. It could be your plumbing, your toilet, or the water going down it. The following are common reasons why a toilet clogs:
- An older low-flow model toilet is available.
- Items that should not be flushed were flushed
- Too much use of toilet paper
- The toilet trap is blocked
- Toilet vent blocked
- Your sewer line is blocked
Our New Jersey plumbers discuss the most common reasons why a toilet clogs. They also explain what you can do to prevent blockages and how to fix them.
Toilets with low flow older models
Your toilet could be clogged because it is a fixture that was installed in an older model of low-flow toilets. Older low-flow toilets don’t have the right pressure to push material through the traps and drains. Low flush pressure can leave behind the waste material, which causes constant clogs.
How to Fix Your Low-Flow Clogging Toilet
A sure-fire method to get rid of constant clogs is to replace your low-flow toilet. To prevent toilet clogs, you can reduce the amount of toilet paper and flushed materials if replacing your toilet is not possible.
These low-flow toilets were typically made in the middle of the 1990s and are more susceptible to clogging. To increase flush pressure and decrease toilet clogs, you can install new low-flow fixtures if your toilet is older. A plumber can help you choose the right toilet for your bathroom and install it.
Flushing non-flushable items
Only human waste and toilet paper are allowed to go down the toilets. Toilets can clog when other types of paper and hygiene products are being sent down the toilet.
All households are affected by this type of constant clog problem. Many people are not aware of what can and cannot be flushed down the toilet. The “flushable wipes” are the most common culprits plumbers encounter today. People have become accustomed to flushing their bathroom waste down the toilet, even cotton balls, and Q-tips, this will keep the toilet clogged. Children who are curious about the toilet are more likely to clog their bathrooms with non-flushable items.
How To Clear Clogs from Non-Flushable Objects
To clear clogs caused by improper materials in the drain, you can use a flanged plunger to remove the obstruction. If that fails, you can use a toilet auger or a flanged plunger to remove the clog.
It is important to take the time to explain to your family what should be put down the toilet and what should be kept out. Children under the age of 5 should be taught that the toilet is not a place for them to play and that their toys and other items must be disposed of.
Excessive use of Toilet Paper
Toilet paper can be flushed down the toilet without causing blockages if used in the right amounts. Too much toilet paper can cause problems. It doesn’t dissolve well and sticks to the drain or toilet lines, causing the toilet to clog.
Some 2-ply toilet papers don’t dissolve as well as others, leading to clogs. It is more comfortable to use but can cause more problems in your household.
How to Unclog TP From Toilet
Toilet paper is used by most consumers in a large quantity. However, it’s best to use 3-4 squares. To prevent clogs, encourage household members to reduce their use of toilet paper. To help your family members use the correct amount of toilet paper each time they go to the bathroom, mark the appropriate length of toilet paper on the cabinet or wall.
To create the desired thickness, fold your ultra-plush toilet paper sheets. Toilet paper that is not folded for use should be rolled up rather than rolled up. This can lead to clogs. Toilet clogs can be avoided by being more careful with how you use your toilet tissue.
Toilet Trap Clogged
Most homeowners know about a bathroom sink’s P-trap, but do you know that your toilet has one, too? Instead of a P shape, the toilet’s trap is an “S” shape and sits between the toilet bowl and the drain line. The purpose of the toilet’s trap is to catch objects and prevent them from moving to the drain line to cause a clog.
Due to its design, this is a common area where items get stuck. Excess waste and toilet paper or non-flushable items can become lodged in the toilet S-trap after they are flushed. When there is a significant mass stuck in the toilet trap, the toilet keeps clogging as normally flushed material is more likely to catch and clog.
How to Fix Clogged Toilet Trap
To remove a blockage in your toilet’s trap, you can plunge the toilet. To force water through the trap, use a flanged plunger to move the clog.
A toilet auger can be used to remove the blockage if plunging fails. The auger should be inserted into the toilet drain. If resistance is found just beyond the drain of the toilet bowl, it’s likely that there is a blockage in the trap. To break up the clog material, rotate the auger and grab the handle to pull out the rest of the material. If the clog is still not clear, you should call a plumber to clean your drain.
Toilet Vent Blockage
Although you may not be aware, your home’s toilets are connected via a vent to the outside of your home. This vent is usually located on the roof. Fresh air can enter your home’s plumbing system through the toilet vent, increasing the pressure of flushes.
Toilets lose their flushing pressure if the vent is blocked. Poor pressure can cause toilet clogs to become more frequent and more severe. Blocked toilet vents can cause other problems in the household, including gurgling sounds from the toilet, slow drainage around the house, and sewer smells indoors.
Repairing Vent Blockages
Toilet vents can become blocked when they are connected to the sewer line within your home. Check your roof if you suspect that a blocked vent is the reason why your toilet is clogging. Here is how you can remove a clog from your home’s vent plumbing system:
- To safely climb on your roof, use a ladder and a spotter. Once you have located the vent, it is usually higher than your main bathroom.
- To check for debris in the vent, remove the cap. To remove any debris, reach into the vent.
- To send water down the vent, use the spray nozzle from your garden hose. This can clear some blockages, but water will back up from the vent opening if it is not.
- Install a toilet auger in the toilet vent. The auger must be at least 20 feet in length. Otherwise, it will not reach the sewer line/vent connection. To clear the obstruction, rotate the auger and then take it out.
- To verify that the obstruction is gone, flush some water down your toilet vent. If the water is still backing up, call a plumber.
Main Sewer Line Clogged
Clogs can block your drain lines and plumbing fixtures, but they can also get stuck in the main sewer line. Clogs in the main sewer line can cause drainage problems throughout the home and can be difficult to fix.
Tree root penetrations, sewer line breakage, and infiltrations can cause sewer lines to become clogged. These problems can cause your toilet to clog, which can impact your drainage system and ability to move your waste out of your house. If this happens, sewer line repairs will be required.
Sewer Cleaning
A plumber is required to fix sewer line clogs. If you ignore sewer line clogs, your toilet will continue to clog and cause more damage to your plumbing system. Call a plumber if you suspect that your sewer line is clogged.
It’s Time to Replace your flapper
The flapper lifts when the toilet is flushed. Water flows down the toilet as the flapper lifts. If the flapper doesn’t lift enough, there will be problems. The water won’t be sufficient to push the waste down the pipes.
There’s good news! It’s easy to fix a flapper. This problem is also easy to identify. Simply lift the toilet lid and flush. Watch the flapper to ensure it lifts completely.
Another thing to remember is that not all flappers are created equal. Toilets are made to flush a certain amount of water. You should ensure you have the correct flapper. To flush more water, a plumber can alter the flapper.
You can fix the problem by going to the shop and buying a flapper. Place the flapper inside your toilet. Wait to see if the flapper works.
Mineral Buildup in the Toilet
It’s time for you to evaluate the age of your toilet if you have recently replaced your flapper. Mineral deposits could be a problem if your toilet is older. Water must move quickly from the tank to your bowl when you flush your toilet. There are two ways that water can get into your bowl. It first passes around your toilet’s upper rim. It then passes through the hole at the bottom of your bowl.
Mineral deposits can block holes in the toilet bowl’s upper rim. This can reduce the power of your flush. There is an easy test that you can do if you suspect your mineral buildup is the problem.
Get a bucket of water that is 2-3 gallons in size. Put it in the toilet bowl. If your toilet flushes smoothly (like it should), it’s time to get a new one. If the toilet is still not flushing, you should call a licensed plumber. This could be a problem with your drainage.
The Clog is Moving Inside the Pipes
Clogs can often start in one place and then move down your pipes. Although the clog might appear to have been resolved after the initial repair, it may reappear within days.
As the clog moves farther away from your toilet, you will often need to work harder. A plunger may work initially, but you might need to use an auger the next time. You should call a plumber if the clog continues to appear.
Plumbers will have the tools necessary to complete the job. A plumber can use an auger or a plumbing snake to clear the blockage. To make sure that the clog is gone, he can place a camera inside your pipes.
It may be time for the big guns if your toilet is constantly clogging.
Smiley Drain Cleaning Can Prevent Toilet Clogs
If your toilet is constantly clogging, and you’re unable to find the cause, it’s time for the professionals to help. To find the cause of a clogged toilet, our licensed New Jersey plumbers will inspect your plumbing system and provide the necessary professional services. We can help you with any plumbing issues, including fixture replacement, drain cleaning, and sewer line repair. For plumbing services in New Jersey call Smiley Drain Cleaning today.