Is your toilet constantly clogged despite your best efforts to keep your lines clear? This can be incredibly frustrating, especially when you feel like you’ve done everything to prevent clogs from happening. So, what do you do when you face a chronically clogged toilet? Keep reading to find out.
Why Does My Toilet Keep Clogging?
There are a variety of reasons why a toilet might be clogged. Everything from too much toilet paper to foreign objects being flushed by a curious toddler can cause problems for a toilet. However, chronic toilet clogs often involve more than a handful of legos being dropped into the toilet.
Reasons why your toilet may suffer from chronic clogs include:
- An old toilet
- A blocked toilet trap
- A blocked plumbing vent
- Excess buildup in your pipes
- Root intrusion in your sewer line
- A broken or collapsed pipe
You may also have a chronically clogged toilet if you habitually flush excess toilet paper or other paper products (like Kleenex or paper towels). Remember, you should only put toilet tissue down a toilet and use it sparingly.
To learn more about the common causes of clogged toilets, review our blog here.
Is It Okay to Leave a Clogged Toilet Overnight?
We’ve all been there – our toilet clogs, but it’s after normal business hours, and you can’t get a plumber out until the next day or, if it’s a Friday night, until Monday. What do you do? We are often asked if it’s okay to leave a clogged toilet overnight. While there are times when you don’t have a choice, you should always try to clear the clog as soon as possible.
It may be surprising, but the longer you let a clog sit, the more entrenched in your plumbing system it can become. As it sits, part of the clog may dissolve, but the insoluble components of the clog won’t, causing the clog to become impacted, making it even harder to dislodge.
Because of this, it’s a good idea to always have a plunger on hand and to try at least to clear the clog yourself. That being said, you should avoid using drain clearing liquids, like Draino, because they are highly corrosive and can cause significant damage to your plumbing system. If you cannot clear the blockage with a plunger, call a plumber out as soon as possible.
Do I Need to Replace My Toilet?
Just because your toilet is chronically clogged does not mean that you need to replace it. For clogs that are a result of foreign objects, too much toilet paper, or a problem further down the line, it is unlikely that you will need to go to the expense of replacing your toilet. The only reason you would replace a toilet in this situation is if the toilet itself is contributing to the clogs.
Always speak with an experienced plumber before replacing plumbing fixtures and appliances. Unless the appliance is broken or contributing to the problem, you will likely not have to spend the extra money replacing it.
When Clogged Toilets Point to Larger Issues
Most clogs are caused by excessive toilet paper or other paper products that are habitually flushed down your toilet. These are relatively easily cleared. However, not all toilet clogs are so easily taken care of. When your toilet is clogged because of more serious issues, such as a collapsed pipe or root intrusion in your sewer line, the process to clear the clog becomes more complicated.
Because chronic toilet clogs tend to result from larger issues, you should reach out to a plumber as soon as possible if you are struggling with this problem. This is especially true if you are dealing with issues in your sewer line. The sooner you deal with a plumbing problem, the less likely it will escalate.
At All City Plumbing, we know how frustrating it is to deal with a problematic toilet constantly. Our experienced plumbers are standing by to help you get your system flowing again. Reach out to us online to schedule an appointment.