5 Reasons Your Toilet Keeps Clogging and What to Do About It

Are you feeling frustrated with a frequently clogged toilet? Maybe you’ve unclogged it once with a plunger, but it’s back again and you don’t know what to do? There are many reasons why your toilet might be clogging, which we’ll discuss in this article.

Once you pinpoint why your toilet keeps getting backed up, you can make a plan to stop it happening again. And, if the worst happens and you can’t get rid of your toilet clog, you can always call a local professional plumber. Take a look at five reasons why your toilet may be getting clogged.

Overusing Toilet Paper

If you or someone else is flushing large wads of toilet paper down the bowl, this can result in a clog. Talk with your kids and family to see if you can find the culprit. If you do, ask them to just use a few sheets at a time as this is all a toilet is designed to manage.

Flushing Non-Flushable Items

Occasionally items that are non-flushable get flushed down the loo. Items that shouldn’t be flushed include wet wipes, sanitary items or tissues. Only toilet paper and human waste should get flushed down the toilet, anything else may get stuck and cause a blockage.

Broken or Badly Installed Flapper

When a toilet is flushed, the flapper should lift to allow water to flow down the toilet. This water washes waste and toilet paper away. If it doesn’t lift, there won’t be enough water to push debris through the pipes. To discover if your flapper is working correctly, lift the toilet lid, make a flush and observe the flapper. If it doesn’t lift you may need a replacement. Or, you can talk to your local plumber to alter the flapper so it flushes a larger amount of water.

Mineral Deposit Build Up

How old is your toilet? If it’s getting on a bit, mineral deposits may have started to build up in the toilet bowl. When left, these can start to cause a problem, weakening the flush and preventing waste from passing quickly through the system. If you suspect this is your problem, talk with a licensed plumber about installing a new toilet.

Debris is Stuck in the Toilet Trap

Have you tried everything and your toilet still gets clogged? This could point to an item being caught in the plumbing trap. A simple plunge of the toilet might remove the blockage. However, if it refuses to budge, extra clogs can start to form. The only way to check the trap is to remove the toilet and this should only be done by a licensed professional.

Still having issues with a clogged toilet? Call Sweeney’s Plumbing today for fast, affordable, plumbing services 24 hours a day.