If the Plunger Doesn’t Work, Call the Plumber to Unclog Your Toilet

Posted: Mar 07, 2012
Author: Minyard Plumbing, Inc.

In a family household, the task of having to unclog a toilet is not uncommon. Kids love throwing toys and other objects into toilet bowls and then flushing them. Feminine hygiene products can also clog a toilet – as can using too much toilet paper.

You could try tackling the problem yourself with a plunger. Put that peg over your nose, wear rubber gloves, roll up your sleeves and insert the plunger all the way down the toilet bowl. Pump it backwards and forwards vigorously until the blockage clears. If this doesn’t work, there may be a more serious problem deep inside the system, which only a plumber can rectify.

There may be a collapsed or damaged pipe or a tree root affecting the system. You need to call an experienced drain-cleaning plumber to unblock the toilet, perhaps with a water-jet machine or an electric eel. The plumber will also have a drain camera to diagnose and locate the cause.

Only a plumber can unclog a toilet if the blockage is caused by any of the following:

Tree Roots

They grow into broken or cracked pipes. If the pipes are not repaired, the roots will keep growing back.

Broken Pipe

The jagged edge of a broken pipe often catches waste material that runs through the toilet, causing a blockage.

Obstructions

Sanitary napkins, baby wipes, toilet fresheners and children’s toys. After being flushed down the toilet, these can travel to a location further downstream where they get jammed and cause a blockage.