Are your toilets overflowing or backing up? Are you having the same problem? Do you know how to fix it. This is a terrible situation, but it’s not the worst. To fix any problem that may arise, it is important to understand your plumbing system. A toilet overflowing or backing up is a prime example.
Why is it called a “Backup Toilet”?
It can be frustrating to have your toilet back up. It happens to everyone. However, a backed up toilet is not a good sign. How did you get here? How did it get to this point?
There are several reasons your toilet might be backing up. Our Long Beach Plumbers will go over them with you. These are:
Paper Products
Unneeded paper products can be thrown into the toilet to cause backups. This includes toilet paper, sanitary products, and paper towels.
Toilets with low-flushing.
Backups can be affected by the type of toilet you use. Low-flushing toilets may not have sufficient water pressure to push waste and toilet paper through pipes. Our Long Beach Plumbers suggest you lower the amount of toilet paper that you use or flush your toilet twice to fix this problem.
Objects
Children living in your home should be able to count the number of toys they have. This could indicate that your toilet is back-up. Children are quick and love to flush things down the toilet, such as toys. Keys, clothes, keys, and flowers are all common items that get accidentally flushed down a toilet.
Food
It is not a good idea to throw food in the toilet. Similar to using paper products, food that is not properly disposed of in the toilet can cause a backup and clog your toilet.
A toilet backup can usually be repaired with a plunger. However, if the backup persists, call your plumber to have it removed.
Oh No! Overflow!
We are sure you’re thinking “Isn’t a backup just like an overflow?”. The answer is yes. A backup is a blocked toilet. An overflow is a blockage of the mainline of your plumbing system. If your toilet overflows after you flush it, this means that your plumbing system is blocked, leaving the water without a place to go.
There are many causes for an overflowing toilet. It can happen from:
- Roots
- Paper Products
- Objects
- Food
- Animals
- Pipe collapse
- Broken pipe
- Pipes that are old or corroded
Cast iron pipes can corrode because of their metal type and natural factors such as water or roots. The pipes could also be moved by roots, which can cause them to burst. Read this article to find out how roots can cause a problem with your plumbing system. How can you tell if your toilet has backed up?
Backup or Overflow? Here’s How You Can Know
Although they may look the same, a backed up toilet is not the same as an overflowing one.
Plunge Away
It could be simple clog due to too much toilet paper if your toilet is backed up. These issues can be fixed with a plunger, which is available in a variety of places including grocery stores and home improvement and home goods shops.
Main Line Issues
Sometimes, an overflowing toilet is easy to fix. However, in most cases it is a sign that your main line is blocked or that something is wrong with your pipes. Your pipes could have been damaged, collapsed or shifted by roots. This post will help you determine if your main line is blocked.
Pricing
Although a backed up toilet is cheaper than buying a plunger to fix it, fixing an overflowing one might be more expensive. A normal backup toilet can cost between $125 and $195. Price depends on many factors, including:
- The extent of the problem in your mainline
- The location of the affected pipes
- Labor
- Materials like new pipes for your plumbing system
Although they have many differences, a backed up toilet and an overflowing one share some similarities. Their main commonality is their cause. We mentioned earlier that both an overflowing or backed up toilet can be caused, in part, by paper products, toys and food.
There are several ways to clean out a back-up toilet or overflowing one.
- Clear Outs
- Hydro-Jetting
- Descale
Tips to Prevent Overflowing and Back-ups
Maintenance is not about doing nothing, but being proactive and preventive. We recommend having your pipes inspected by a camera at least once a year. You should not pose for the camera. This camera is designed to find blockages in your plumbing system. To avoid damaging your pipes, we recommend calling a local Long Beach Plumber. Take care of your pipes and your plumbing system will take good care of you.