There’s no worse feeling than hearing the panic-inducing sound of an overflowing toilet. While most everyone has and will experience having a clogged toilet, not everyone knows what to do when it happens. Before you start to stress, know that stopping an overflowing toilet is a simple process and only requires a few tools you may have around. Take a deep breath and know you can handle it!
Here’s exactly what to do if your toilet overflows:
- Do Not Flush! Though it may be tempting, do NOT flush the toilet again! If the water starts to rise after the first flush, it means your toilet is clogged. Flushing again will only mean more water can’t make it past the clog, causing your toilet to overflow even more. Resist the urge to flush again!
- Shut Off the Water. One of the most immediate things you can do to stop the flooding is to turn off the water to your toilet. Most toilets will have a water shut-off valve on the tank on the back part of the toilet closest to the wall. Turn the valve clockwise to turn it off. Since you don’t turn the water to your toilet off often, you may find that the valve is a little sticky or hard to turn. It may be worthwhile to start trying to turn it every so often beginning now, so it’s easy to turn off in the event of an overflowing toilet!
- Adjust the Flapper. Open the tank, find the flapper—the little rubber circle attached to the metal lever—and push it closed. When the flapper seals against the bottom of the tank, it will stop water from blowing into the toilet bowl. You can easily do this manually.
- Plunge! Clear the clog by plunging the toilet. You should have a basic plunger on hand to help assist with this!
- Call a Plumber. Clogged toilets may be indicative of a bigger problem with your toilet. Unless you know how to fix a toilet, you should call a plumber to help you fix the clog. They’ll have the proper tools, knowledge, and experience to fix it and ensure it doesn’t happen again.
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Sources:
https://www.therooterworks.com/blog/2020/september/if-your-toilet-overflows-do-this/