25 Aug How to Stop an Overflowing Toilet
Plumbing issues are a real inconvenience to say the least. But when you’re dealing with an overflowing toilet, it can be a huge disaster! Toilets are one of the most used, yet most reliable appliances that we have in our home. They tend to last a long time and typically don’t act up too much, so when you see yours start to malfunction, pay attention or call your professionals right away. In the event you do experience an overflowing toilet, here are some tips on how to handle it:
An overflowing toilet is caused by one of three things: a clogged or blocked drain that doesn’t allow for a proper flush, a blocked vent pipe that replaces the air in the pipe after each flush, or an improperly adjusted float that allows the tank to overfill.
A Clogged or Blocked Drain: Spotting a blocked drain is a fairly easy task. Water will overflow from the toilet’s bowl rather than the tank, causing a huge mess. In order to stop the overflow you must treat the clog. For simple clogs, a plunger and some elbow grease will usually do the trick.
Blocked Vent Pipe: If you notice your toilet clogging more frequently, a blocked vent pipe could be to blame. A vent pipe moves external air into the plumbing system to replace the air that is pumped with each flush. When this is blocked, your toilet won’t flush properly, leading to an overflow. This usually requires the skills and expertise of an experienced plumber.
High Filler Float: The first two causes of an overflowing toilet will cause water to spill out from the bowl itself. In this case, a high filler float causes the spill to come from the tank of the toilet. If the filler float is set too high, the tank will fill with too much water, causing leakage from the sides. You can fix this by adjusting the mechanism inside of the tank to control the level of the float.
While an overflowing toilet can seem like a simple problem to fix, make sure to keep an eye on how often they’re occurring. In the event of a complicated clog or constant recurrences, call on your trusted plumbing professionals at Wahl. For answers on all of your plumbing questions or to schedule service give us a call at (412) 265-2662 or visit our website to learn more. Don’t forget to connect with us on Facebook and Twitter too.