What can you say, kids will be kids. When they are very young, kids don’t quite understand the toilet, even when potty training. Sometimes they try to sail their play toys in the water, and somehow they end up down the toilet instead.
They may find it fascinating to flush anything and everything to hear the noise or see it disappear, then ask you “where’d my toy go?”
Find Out What Was Flushed
You might be unsure of what it is, but first things first, find out, so you can deal with the clog in a timely and efficient manner.
Do you have more than one kid that could have flushed something down the toilet? Investigate and find out who did it and what it was.
Not only the kids can be at fault, but there are also many common non-flushable items that teens or adults in your household may have flushed.
Some items that could be the clog culprit include:
Toys
Keys
Small pets; fish; hermit crabs, mice
Food
Cell phone
Kitty litter
It is important to explain to all members of the household that only toilet paper goes down the toilet, other more common items are also not good for your septic system. Whether it was an accident or not, the most important thing is to get your toilet working again.
Unclogging the toilet
Depending on the severity of the clog, it may be able to be cleared with a plunger.
When trying to clear the clog yourself with a plunger, first, add enough water to the bowl, until it is about half full if it is not already.
Next, lower the plunger into the bowl and fit the cup over the hole in the toilet.
Then, push down on the plunger, sending pressure down the drain to loosen the clog.
Make sure to maintain the seal of the plunger in the toilet and continue the motion until it pushes the clog down the drain.
After five to seven plunges, pull the plunger out to see if the water drains. If it goes down the bowl, you have most likely cleared the clog. If not, repeat, and if it continuously fails to unclog, call a plumber.
Call A Professional
Sometimes the obstruction can be too big for a plunger. Leave it to the professionals to help clear the blockage.
It is likely the clog is beyond the reach of the plunger’s power.
This will help the item causing the obstruction to be cleared completely instead of being flushed further down the drain to possibly cause another obstruction.
Serious clogs can cause water to back up to other drains in your home, which is something you want to avoid.
Plumbers can provide a variety of services that can help clear the clog or even replace the toilet if needed.
These services include:
Hydro-jetting
Video camera inspection
Sewer line repair and replacement
Waterline repair and replacement
And more!
Preventing Future Clogs
Once you’ve experienced clogs in your toilet, you will want to prevent any issues in the future.
Some of the most effective ways to prevent clogging include:
Helping kids understand only toilet paper gets flushed down the toilet
Remind all members of your household of what items are non-flushable
Limit the use of toilet paper
Ensure you yourself are also aware of what can and cannot be flushed
Korrect Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc., are experts within the Dayton, Ohio and surrounding area and can provide top-notch assistance unclogging those recurring clogs. Call us at (937) 837-2333 for all your plumbing, drain, heating, and air needs.