You hear water coming from your bathroom.
The bathtub isn’t running. What is going on?
The water is coming out of your toilet and isn’t stopping.
Keep reading to learn what to do when your toilet overflows:
Turn the Water Off
The fastest way to stop the water from continuing to flow is to turn it off. Most toilets have a valve at the bottom of the bowl where you can control the water flow from.
If your toilet does not have that valve, you will need to rig the float in order to prevent it from allowing water in to fill up the toilet. Stopping the water will prevent your entire bathroom from flooding and allow you to focus on fixing the toilet.
As a last resort, you can shut off all water to your home via the main water supply.
Find the Clog
Discovering what is causing the toilet overflow may be as simple as using the plunger. Something is blocking the flow of the water down the drain and it either must come back up or move forward in the pipe. A drain snake can be used to reach further down the drain for the clog.
If using a plunger or rubber gloves to remove the clog does not work, looking inside the toilet tank is the next step. If the toilet continues to overflow without you flushing it, the clog could be in a drainpipe. This could cause issues when running water from any other source in your home if it has no place to exit.
At this point, it is best to call a plumber. They can help to assess where the clog is located with the right equipment.
Clean up the Water
Soaking or vacuuming as much of the overflowing water as possible is very important. The water can quickly rot parts of the flooring or begin to be an attractive spot for mold.
We specialize in water damage restoration and can help bring the area back to normal so that no future issues such as mold or floor rotting will arise.
It is important to disinfect and clean the area around the overflowed toilet so that there is no contaminated surfaces.
What to Do When Your Toilet Overflows (Again)
If the same issue comes back, repeat the steps above. However, it is a bad idea to flush the toilet until it has been serviced by a plumbing professional.
When a private sewer becomes full, there is nowhere else for the water to go. Keeping track of the sewer pumps will help you know if it is time to get it emptied again. Several factors affect the timing, but most homes are serviced every three to five years.
You Can Handle It
You can rest easy knowing that this is a common issue and you will know what to do if your toilet overflows again in the future. Referencing these simple steps will allow you to gain control of the issue and solve it in a quick, effective manner.
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