How to Unclog a Toilet

The task of going near a toilet with the intention of unclogging it is not a particularly appealing one. However, this is something you will need to attempt yourself, particularly if you do not wish to pay for a plumber to come and fix the problem. We all know that we wish to keep that option as the last resort. On the more positive side of things, we know that unclogging a toilet does not require expertise skill which makes your task much easier. The same cannot be said for other areas of plumbing which require complex handling skills.

Before you do anything else, the first thing you should do is to identify what is actually causing the clog. You should do this with any other clogs that you get around the house too. There are many items that end up causing clogs in toilets, as many people try to dispose items which are not suitable for the toilet. For instance, this is the case with face wipes or cotton wool. In these cases it will be necessary to use the plunger. An important tip to remember is that toilet paper is made in a way that it breaks away easily whilst being flushed. The same cannot be said for some other items.

If on the other hand, you hear bubbling in the tub, then chances are that your sewer line is clogged. You should try turning on the bathroom sink if you hear bubbling. If this makes matters worse, then it is very likely that you will need to call a plumber, as plunging alone will not suffice.

Before you start plunging, you first need to make sure that there is enough water in the toilet. This is important as it will work in pushing the clog all the way out of the drain. The method is to plunge up and down quite a few times so the plunger fills with water. Your problem may not be resolved in the initial hurdle so you may have to repeat this process quite a few times to solve the blockage problem.

The key to all this is to insert a little aggression in the plunging. This will work to force the water in the plunger through the waste outlet of the toilet , dislodging the blockage in the process. You may splash a little water outside the bowl, however you can avoid this messy business by not filling up with too much water.

Unfortunately, even with all that plunging and mess your blockage problem may still not be resolved. You may have attempted to plunge many times, failing each time. Do not worry as there is another method you can use. For this you will need what you call a closet snake (or a closet auger). In order to use the snake, all you need to do is expand the handle all the way out, insert the functional end into the outlet of the toilet bowl, and crank it down into the bowl, making sure the cable goes into the drain.

Once the bowl has been drained, you should then flush the toilet pulling the cable up at the same time. This is so that the cable can be cleaned. It is strongly advised that you flush the toilet a good number of times before you put the snake away.

Autor: Tal Potishman

Tal Potishman, editor of Heating Central, writes articles on home boilers, central heating, Dulwich plumbers, underfloor heating and solar thermal. He specializes in helping save money by advising on efficient heating.

Added: July 11, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/