Reasons a Toilet Keeps Clogging
Toilets are beyond useful, but a clogged toilet quickly becomes an insufferable headache. They not only run the risk of water damage to your home but can quickly contaminate an area and cause even bigger problems down the line.
This can happen for a number of reasons, both from user error and unavoidable situations. Learning what to avoid and what to watch out for can save you from huge hassles and costly repairs in the future.
Flushing Inappropriate Materials
Toilets are great at removing waste but have strict requirements on what you can and cannot flush. In fact, there are only three things you can flush without worrying about the consequences:
- Pee
- Waste
- Toilet paper
This excludes other questionable materials, such as diapers, paper towels, baby wipes, and even “flushable” toilet wipes. While these might not cause an immediate clog, they’re likely to build up over time and cause serious blockages that only professional tools can penetrate.
Solid objects, usually flushed by children, can cause more immediate clogs that cause backup and must be unlodged and fished out.
While flushing medication or chemicals may not run the risk of clogs, it’s worth noting that they can cause serious damage to your local ecosystem. Do adequate research to find a more appropriate disposal method.
Using Too Much Toilet Paper
While toilet paper is flushable, you can’t exactly flush the whole roll and walk away without causing issues. The right amount varies greatly depending on the brand, plumbing conditions, and personal preference, but the general consensus is around seven sheets per wipe.
Using too much toilet paper can cause clogs, either immediately or as the amount piles up over time. If your plumber says this is an issue for you, you may need to cut down on the squares or flush multiple times when you use the restroom.
Installing a bidet can also help reduce toilet paper usage. Instead of relying on dry material to remove the mess, the bidet can wash it away. With bidets becoming more popular, this is a much easier update to make.
Not Addressing Sewer Line Clogs Early On
By ignoring these recommendations or the early warning signs of a clog, you do your toilet line a disservice. Addressing clogs early on keeps toilets running as intended and prevents more serious issues as they get bigger or are simply pushed down the line.
Sewer line clogs develop beyond where you can reach, usually as bad habits and poor responses accumulate. You may get by with plunging small clogs caused by wipes out of your toilet, but they usually gather into a larger (and more costly) issue deeper in your system.
Clogs may develop in the sewer line at no fault of your own if you have older pipes or if roots grow into the line. It’s important you recruit professional help at the first sign of an issue to minimize the severity of the issue.
About Roman Plumbing
If you’re looking for the best in the New Port Richey region, look no further than Roman Plumbing and Air. Operating since 2002, they strive to bring quality solutions to your door promptly, charging you only for the job they do and not the time they spend on it. This translates to surprise-free pricing, cost-efficient solutions, and satisfied customers. Call them for all your plumbing needs in New Port Richey, FL today!
