Due to their frequent use, toilets are the most common type of blocked drain that Sydney homeowners face. A functional toilet is essential for a comfortable, healthy and sanitary living environment so it can be very frustrating when a toilet gets blocked. There are many causes of blocked toilets, below are a list of the most common.
Flushing tampons down the toilet
Many women do not realise that flushing tampons can cause serious blockages in the toilet and sewer line. Tampons expand in the water and they do not break down in the same way as toilet paper. When tampons get flushed there is potential for them to get stuck in the plumbing pipes. While one tampon probably won’t block your toilet, over the years multiple tampons can collect in the line and cause a clog.
Flushing other personal care items
Tampons are only one of many items that get incorrectly flushed down the toilet. The sewerage system in your home is only designed to transport water, toilet paper and human waste. Flushing anything else down the toilet including “flushable” wet wipes, makeup wipes, dental floss, cotton tips and so forth increased the likelihood of a blocked toilet.
A clog in the trap
All the drains within your home have a trap. A trap is a bend in the pipe that remains filled with water. That water acts as an important barrier against gases and unpleasant odours that might otherwise enter your home through the sewer line. It’s common for the items mentioned above (tampons, wet wipes etc…) to get stuck in this bend. The trap can even get clogged when an excessive amount of toilet paper is flushed in one go.
Low-flush water saving toilets
Many homeowners are becoming more concerned about environmental issues including water consumption. With ongoing draught conditions and water restrictions in place, new toilets are now required to comply with the Water Efficient Labelling Standards (WELS). The WELS scheme requires that flushes of toilets sold must not exceed 5.5 litres. These water savings devices are great, but it does mean there is less water pressure to push sewage along the pipes. You need to be particularly vigilant about what you flush down the toilet and should consider switching to a low-ply toilet paper.
A clog further down the line
Blocked toilets may also be caused by a clog in the main sewer line. This is the line that all the plumbing fixtures in your home connect to. If this is the case, you will probably notice issues with other drains clogging up or taking a long time to drain. Blocked sewer lines are caused by things that are flushed down the toilet, as well as items that get washed down the other drains in your home. In particular, grease and oil that gets washed down the kitchen sink is problematic for drains because it hardens and sticks to the pipe walls.
A blocked sewer line can’t be fixed with plunging. It requires specialist machinery such as CCTV pipe inspection cameras and jet blasting machines and should be seen to quickly by a professional drainage plumber. Failure to act quickly could result in sewage back-up in your home - a messy and unhealthy situation.
A broken sewer pipe
The worst case scenario is that your blocked toilet is caused by a collapsed or badly damaged sewer pipe. Water and waste will not be able to travel freely from the toilet line through the main sewer. Similarly to a blockage in the sewer line, a broken sewer line will impact all of the plumbing fixtures in the home and should be addressed as quickly as possible. A CCTV drain inspection can quickly uncover damaged pipes and determine whether the pipes need to be replaced.
Need a plumber to unclog your toilet?
If you’re dealing with a blocked toilet in Sydney JAB Plumbing Solutions can help. We have many years of experience resolving blocked drains and clogged toilets within Sydney. Our licensed and high-trained Sydney plumbers carry the latest drain cleaning equipment such as jet blasters and drain cameras. Get in touch today for a free quote.
