The sewerage water backing up in your toilet and seeing it rise and spill all over in the washroom is a traumatic experience. Clogged toilets happen to everyone. But the good news is that most blockages are easy to prevent. With a few simple changes in your daily routine, you can avoid the frustration.
Residential plumbing services in Michigan offer six practical tips to help keep your toilet running smoothly. By following these easy steps, you can prevent clogs and save yourself time, stress, and the cost of unnecessary repairs.
Signs That Your Toilet is About to Experience a Blockage
Before we learn the tips, let’s take a look at the signs that indicate that your toilet is about to experience potential blockage:
Slow Draining: Water drains slowly after flushing.
Frequent Clogs: Toilets clog more often than usual.
Gurgling Noises: Gurgling sounds after flushing or when using other drains.
Unpleasant Odors: Foul smells coming from the toilet or bathroom.
Water Level Fluctuations: Water level rises higher than normal after a flush.
Residential Plumbing Services in Michigan: Tips to Prevent Toilet Blockages
1. Use Less Toilet Paper for a Smoother Flush
Using toilet paper wisely is one of the easiest and best ways to stop toilet blockages. Toilet paper is made to break down in water, but using too much at once can cause problems like slow drainage or clogs. This is especially true in older homes with smaller, narrow, or weak pipes. Instead of using big bunches of toilet paper each time, try using smaller amounts and flushing more often.
Also, always remember that not all toilet paper is the same. It is better to choose biodegradable or septic-safe kinds that can help prevent buildup in your pipes, especially if you have a septic system. These types of toilet paper break down faster, which helps avoid clogs.
Are "Flushable" Wipes Safe to Flush?
Many people believe that wipes labeled as “Flushable” items can flush down the toilet without issue. However, residential plumbing services in Michigan strongly recommend that you do not flush these items. Even "flushable" wipes don't break down as quickly or easily as toilet paper. As time passes, they can gather in plumbing. They create stubborn blockages that are difficult to clear out.
2. Be Cautious About What You Flush
Be careful about what you wash. Your bathroom is designed to handle only three things: water, human waste, and toilet paper. Any other stuff can cause serious blockages. Residential plumbing services in Michigan recommend avoiding items like baby wipes. (Although it is labeled, these products do not break down easily and can build up). You also must not flush tampons or sanitary pads down the toilet.
3. Keep the Lid Closed to Prevent Accidents
Items that are dropped without your knowledge, like toys, cosmetics, or bars of soap, can also cause serious problems. Residential plumbing services in Michigan recommend keeping toilet lids closed when not in use, especially if you have children or pets.
With this simple step, you can prevent unwanted objects from clogging. You can save yourself from unexpected plumbing problems. The lid keeps the bowl safe and avoids clogs.
4. Watch Out for Tree Roots in Your Pipes
If you have large trees around your home, roots can sneak into your plumbing system. Tree roots can grow in pipes and cause blockages, making flushing difficult. For this, it is best to hire professional plumbing services, who can use cameras to check for root intrusion and use techniques like hydrojetting to clear out the clogs. Keeping an eye on this can help you avoid major plumbing problems caused by hidden roots.
5. Don’t Treat Your Toilet Like a Garbage Disposal
It may look easy to flush food scraps down the toilet, but this can cause severe plumbing issues over time. Toilets are designed to handle human waste and toilet paper, both of which break down easily in water. However, food scraps, especially fibrous or greasy ones, do not disintegrate as easily.
These scraps can get caught in bends or join other debris in your pipes. It creates stubborn blockages. Even if the drain pipe looks big, food particles can still gather. Then, it can lead to slow drainage or complete blockages.
It’s always better to throw food waste in the garbage rather than risk clogging your pipes. Residential plumbing services in Michigan advise sticking to proper waste disposal methods to avoid costly repairs.
6. Avoid Using Harsh Chemical Drain Cleaners
When you have a clog in your drain, it might be tempting to grab a commercial drain cleaner or bleach. However, these chemical products can actually harm your pipes and make any problems worse.
How?
These products can corrode your pipes and can cause more damage to them. Therefore, instead of using these harsh chemicals, try safer, non-toxic options. You can also prevent blockages by regularly flushing your toilet with hot water and using a plunger for small clogs.
7. Keeping Your Toilet Limescale-Free
Have you ever seen ugly brown stains in your toilet? That is because of limescale buildup. These can cause blockages by blocking water flow in the pipes. It happens when minerals like calcium and magnesium in hard water dry up, leaving behind deposits that collect dirt and bacteria. Over time, these deposits build up and become big. This can narrow the pipes, which increases the chance of clogs.
To prevent limescale buildup, use toilet rim blocks, which help fight limescale in both the tank and the bowl. If you live in an area with hard water, it's important to clean regularly to remove limescale.
Wrap Up
Dealing with a clogged toilet is very hard. This is why it is advised to stop the problem or blockage from escalating. Use these simple tips provided by residential plumbing services in Michigan. These tips will keep your bathroom running smoothly and avoid unnecessary blockages.
