We all have it somewhere hiding in the back of the toilet: a plunger. While it temporarily performs its purpose, using it more than usual means a clogged toilet is well underway for a mess. A toilet repair may be the right solution to end unwanted clogged toilets once and for all. Here are some of the reasons why your toilet keeps clogging.
You have a clogged drain
A clogged toilet is usually linked to a clogged drain that affects other drains in your home. You may see that your toilet slowly fills or is having trouble easily flushing down waste. Not to mention the actual structure of the drains, which are made up of bent pipes, therefore, increasing the accumulation of gunk in between those tight spaces.
In need of a flapper replacement
Not being able to properly flush a clogged toilet could also mean the flapper requires a replacement. You can check to see if the flapper is broken by simply lifting the toilet tank and doing the flush test. Water should drain approximately three-quarters of the way before closing. If it is having a problem closing, a plumbing expert can better diagnose the valve problem.
The bowl rim holes are blocked
A toilet bowl’s rim holes, also known as rim jets, should get checked to see if they are blocked. Most times they are visibly blocked with built-up limescale and debris that accumulates bacteria. The problem with uncleared rim holes is that it prevents the water flow from properly circulating leading to a clogged toilet bowl. Keeping the jets clean will help keep consistent water flow as well as leave unsanitary messes behind.
Flushing trash
Treating a toilet as a form of a trash can is what keeps a clogged toilet. Throwing things down like feminine hygiene products, dental floss and even contact lenses will cause the drain to clog. Items labeled as flushable wipes or any kind of wipes in general should not be thrown down the toilet, but rather in the trash.
The tank is empty or low
Sufficient water is an important component that will keep the toilet running smoothly. If the tank is empty or low on water, expect to see a frequent pattern of clogged toilets. Checking the fill line and adjusting the float ball accordingly can fix the issue. But if the float ball is too low, it will require a replacement.
You Have an Older Low-Flush Toilet
Some toilets are simply harder to keep unclogged than others. The first generation of low-flow toilets, the ones installed roughly between the early 1990s and the early 2000s, used 1.6 gallons per flush but didn’t have the bowl design or trapway shape to make those gallons work as hard as they needed to. Owners of these toilets often have to flush twice on a regular basis, which defeats the water savings and creates frequent clogs.
Modern high-efficiency toilets use the same 1.28 to 1.6 gallons per flush but with a redesigned bowl, trapway and water inlet that move waste through cleanly the first time. If your toilet is more than 20 years old and clogs constantly, the unit itself may be the problem. A new toilet often pays for itself in plunger time alone.
The Trapway Has a Buildup Inside
The trapway is the curved channel inside the porcelain that connects the bowl to the drain line. Over years of use, mineral deposits and other buildup narrow that channel from the inside. The first sign is that things take a little longer to disappear when you flush. Eventually, even normal amounts of paper start backing up.
You can sometimes feel this by using a closet auger and noting how much resistance there is even with nothing actively clogging the line. If the trapway is the cause, a thorough cleaning with a heavy-duty toilet bowl cleaner and a stiff brush can buy time, but eventually replacement is the cleaner fix. Hard water along the Mississippi Gulf Coast accelerates this kind of buildup, so it shows up sooner here than in soft-water areas.
The Vent Stack Is Blocked
This one catches most homeowners by surprise. Plumbing systems use vertical vent stacks that run up through the roof to maintain air pressure in the drain lines. When you flush, air comes in through the vent to replace the water leaving. If the vent is blocked at the roof, often by leaves, a bird’s nest or even a tennis ball, the toilet has trouble flushing because there’s no air to fill the void behind the water.
Symptoms of a blocked vent include a toilet that gurgles when other fixtures drain, slow flushing on a toilet that’s otherwise in good shape, and a sewer odor in the bathroom that comes and goes. Clearing a roof vent is a job for a plumber unless you’re comfortable on a roof.
The Main Sewer Line Is Partially Clogged
If the toilet keeps clogging and so do other drains in the house, the issue is bigger than the toilet itself. The main sewer line that runs from the house to the city sewer or septic tank may be partially blocked. Causes include tree roots, grease buildup, accumulated debris from years of use, or a damaged section that’s collected sediment.
A camera inspection of the main line gives a clear answer. Once the location and type of blockage is known, the right repair becomes obvious: snaking, hydro jetting, lining or in worst cases, replacement. Treating only the toilet symptoms while the main line continues to fail just delays the inevitable.
Practical Steps to Try First
Before assuming the worst, work through this list:
- Check the water level in the tank. It should sit about one inch below the overflow tube. Adjust the float if it’s lower
- Lift the lid and watch a flush. The water should swirl strongly all around the bowl, and the tank should refill within about a minute
- Look at the rim jets under the bowl rim with a small mirror or by feel. Use a stiff brush to clear any visible buildup
- Check the flapper for soft spots, warping or mineral deposits. Replace it if it doesn’t seal cleanly
- Try a closet auger if a plunger isn’t working. The auger can break up clogs that a plunger pushes around
- Listen during a flush. A weak swirl, gurgling or a slow refill all give clues about what’s wrong
If those steps don’t fix the issue and the toilet still clogs more than once a month, the cause is likely something deeper. A plumber can run through a more thorough diagnosis, including checking the vent, the trapway and the main line if needed. Catching the real cause early avoids a long stretch of recurring frustration.
Keep your toilet from clogging by having one of our inspectors come in for an installation, replacement or repair. ASAP Plumbing offers affordable quotes. Call us today at 228-865-2727 or visit www.plumbinggulfportms.com to request a free estimate!