Action Plumbing, HVAC, & Electric

Your Local Plumbing, HVAC, & Electric Experts

Category: Drain Unclogging

No one wants to deal with issues related to their toilet, and one of the most common is also one of the most frustrating: The toilet simply won’t flush. Especially when you’ve gone through a simple checklist for minor issues that might be the cause, such as plunging the toilet to remove clogs for instance, and haven’t resolved the concern, this can be a frustrating issue.

At Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric, we’re here to help with a variety of toilet repair needs, including for toilets that just won’t flush no matter what you do. We’ve seen every issue that might lead to a toilet flushing problem, and we know what to do to handle it. Whether on your own or with the assistance of our plumbers as-needed, here are some of the steps that should be taken to determine the cause of a non-flushing toilet, plus what can be done once the problem has been identified.

Concealed Clogs

As we touched on above, clogs are perhaps the single most common cause of toilets that won’t flush. While toilet paper generally won’t cause issues here, other items can, such as children’s toys, small items of clothing, and more. If you have a concealed pipe below your toilet – meaning one that runs from the floor up through the wall – this is where clogs are most likely to be found. Of course, every toilet is different here, so what works for one might not work for another.

Generally, though, using a quality plunger – either a cup plunger or an accordion-style – is the best course of action. If you’re not sure which to use, ask our plumber as needed. In addition, if your toilet has a pop-up stopper at the top that needs to be lowered before using a plunger, do so by pushing it from its handle at the side or from below, not from the top. Otherwise, you run the risk of damage to the stopper and a broken seal between it and your toilet flange – which can be a costly repair.

Draining Toilet

If plunging doesn’t work after a few tries, you might need to try draining your toilet. Make sure it’s safe to do so by first checking the water level in your toilet tank. If it’s too high or is becoming too high, shut off the water supply to your toilet. The shut-off valve is generally located either directly behind and above it (this might be a knob where you can twist and/or turn), or along the wall next to the floor behind and below the toilet tank.

Once you’ve ensured it’s safe to do so, flush your toilet and hold the handle down. This will cause any existing water left in the tank or bowl to drain into the waste pipe below, which can help allow for better plunging when you’re done. To finish, turn the water supply back on and try flushing again.

Toilet Tank

If that fails, you might have to remove the toilet tank itself. First, disconnect its water supply line at either the valve behind and above it or by releasing it from the wall where it’s attached near the floor. Then, detach the tank from its bowl by lifting straight up. If you have any problems here, ask our plumber for assistance.

Once the tank is out, you can try using an auger to clear any clogs in the waste line or by removing the one-way valve in the toilet’s supply line to see if that helps move things along. Keep in mind that it shouldn’t be removed if your system freezes in winter, however, as doing so will make it impossible to refill your toilet tank in time for use.

Handle and Chain Mechanism

Another possible issue that can be identified when lifting your toilet tank is the handle and chain mechanism that runs between the tank’s handle and flapper valve. If this sight causes you to see corroded metal or other signs of wear, it might be time to replace it with a new one. To install replacement parts, refer back to your owner’s manual for guidance, or just ask our plumber as-needed.

Flapper Concerns

The flapper is an inlet valve that’s responsible for moving water from the tank into the bowl of your toilet, but it may have worn out. If its chain is stretched, corroded, or broken, it might not move properly to open and close the flapper when needed. This can be cause for concern if you notice water leaking from the tank into the bowl below while your system is in use.

If you choose to replace a flapper on your own, be sure you turn off the water to your toilet by first shuttering the one-way valve until it’s completely closed. Then, use a wrench to remove its handle and/or screw cap to access the flapper inside. From there, you can simply put the new part in place of the old one, then adjust its position as necessary before replacing its handle or screw cap.

Overflow Tube

Finally, in some cases a cracked or otherwise damaged overflow tube can cause your toilet not to flush properly. This is due to the fact that the tube drains excess water from your tank in case it doesn’t get moved into the bowl, which can keep your system from overflowing onto the floor if you have a leaky flapper or other internal issue.

If this sounds like what’s going on with your toilet, just replace the broken overflow tube with a new one that’s been designed to fit your specific toilet. If you need help finding the proper part, just ask our plumber for guidance as-needed.

For more on how to handle flush-related plumbing issues in your toilet, or to learn about any of our plumbing or HVAC services, speak to the staff at Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric today.

There are a few possible plumbing issues in your home or building that may require both immediate action and some long-term care approaches, and a good example here is a concern no one wants to deal with: A toilet that’s overflowing water. There are some early steps you should take here to prevent immediate risks like flooding and water damage, but once you’ve managed to stop the actual overflowing from happening, there are also a few general steps – including those involving professional plumbers – that are required to fully remedy the situation.

At Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric, we’re here to help. We offer not only a wide range of toilet repair services from the best plumbers in Salt Lake City, but also 24/7 emergency plumbing services in cases of toilet overflow or other forms of water damage you’re having trouble mitigating. Whether on your own or with the assistance of our plumbers, what are the basic steps to stopping a toilet that’s overflowing, plus what should you do once you’ve managed to stop the overflow effect? Here’s a primer.

Lid Removal

Before we dig into the specifics here, we wanted to drive home one big theme: Immediate action is very important when you notice an overflow toilet. This is not an issue that can be left until later, as it risks major flooding and water damage in both the bathroom where the toilet is located and the rest of your home, particularly the areas below that bathroom.

The first step to take when a toilet is overflowing is to carefully remove the toilet lid from the tank. This requires no screwdrivers or nails – all you have to do is lift it up. Simply set it aside in a secured location, but don’t worry about laying it down on towels or any other laborious process, as this will just waste time.

Flapper Valve

Next up, you need to reach down into the toilet tank and press down on the flapper valve. This refers to a rubber piece, usually black or dark-colored, that sits in the bottom-center of your tank. The flapper is what opens and closes to allow water into the bowl – by holding it down, you will be stopping more water from entering and, therefore, overflowing.

Some choose to wear gloves while doing this, but this technically isn’t really necessary. While it’s true that sanitation is always important around the toilet, the upper toilet tank contains clean, sanitary water that has not been exposed to any human waste.

Tank Fill Valve

From here, once your flapper valve is secured and will stay closed, you need to lift up on the float that operates what’s known as your tank fill valve. This is the main water supply to the tank itself, and the water levels inside your bowl will change in coordination with this feature. When this water source is cut off, the bowl should begin to see a slow drop in water level.

If this happens within 60 seconds or so, you can usually release the tank fill valve float and let the bowl refill naturally – the issue is usually solved here. However, in other cases, the water level will not drop here; in this case, you need to continue to hold the float while you use the toilet supply valve – which is near the floor or the wall behind the toilet – to completely turn off the water supply. This is done by turning the toilet supply valve as far as you can clockwise. You may need someone to help you with this, as some toilet supply valves will be far enough away that you won’t be able to twist them while also holding down the float.

Actions Once Toilet Stops Overflowing

Once you’ve managed to get the toilet to stop overflowing, meaning you’ve mitigated the immediate flooding and water damage risks that were present, you can move toward diagnosing the actual issue that caused the overflow to begin with. Again, this is often a concern where homeowners will call on our plumbers to assist them with – but if you’re particularly handy and want to take a shot at this process yourself, here are some basic areas to attend to:

  • First and foremost, stop the use of all plumbing fixtures (sinks, toilets, laundry machines, etc.) while you look to diagnose the issue. You may have solved the flooding concern in the toilet in question, but it’s possible the larger culprit that caused it is still present within your system. Let everyone in the home know they should not use any fixtures for now.
  • One of the most common issues that may cause this sort of overflowing is a blockage somewhere in the drain – for this reason, a first step here is to use a plunger or drain snake to attempt to clear the clog, especially if gurgling noises or other clear signs of a blockage are present.
  • If a toilet clog is not the problem, start moving from fixture to fixture in the home. Start on your fixtures in the bathroom and then work your way upward in the home – if possible, have another person present to see if anything happens on the lower floors while you’re looking at upper-floor toilets and drains.
  • In some cases where these initial methods aren’t solving the problem, you may have a backup in your system drain, a failing septic field, or other issues with your main sewer line. In these cases, you’ll need to contact our plumbers for a more involved remediation.

For more on how to remedy an overflowing toilet, or to learn about any of our plumbing or HVAC services in Salt Lake City, speak to the staff at Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric today.

Art of junk in sewer meant to depict risk of causing main sewer line clogs

In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over some of the basics on why main sewer line clogs are different from other kinds of drain clogs in your home, plus some of the factors that may cause them. The main sewer line is your home’s entryway into the primary municipal sewer system, allowing your waste to pass into this system in the proper ways.

At Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical, our detailed plumbing services include several sewer line maintenance areas, from trenchless sewer line repair to sewer line cleaning and assistance with any other issues you may have in this area. In today’s part two, we’ll go over a few additional potential causes of these clogs, plus some of the signs that may indicate you have such a blockage that needs to be addressed.

Improper Garbage Disposal Use

In part one, we went over some of the improper uses of toilet drains that can lead to main sewer line clogs – the garbage disposal is a similar concern in many homes, though often in different ways. Just like the toilet, however, the primary issue here is folks in the home believing the garbage disposal drain is meant for purposes that, in reality, it is not.

For starters, the presence of grease, oils and other cooking liquids in the drain is a big no-no. This will lead to hardening further down in the drain system, often in the main sewer line itself. The same goes for larger food particles – even if you think the disposal would do fine breaking them up, we highly recommend throwing away larger food debris separately and placing less strain on the garbage disposal.

Sewer Line Damage Issues

In other cases, clogs in the main sewer line take place because the line itself has become damaged over time. Cracking, sagging, corroding and general breakage are all possible in older pipes, especially those that have been present for multiple decades. This will not only allow in dirt and other debris, but will also prevent wastewater from flowing properly.

Signs of Main Sewer Line Clogs

Here are some of the primary signs that indicate you may have a main sewer line clog and should immediately contact our plumbers about remedying the issue:

  • Your toilets are all gurgling or bubbling at the same time
  • Smells of sewage and other foul plumbing odors are coming from multiple drains in the home
  • More than one drain in the home is having drainage issues
  • Wastewater begins to back up in one plumbing fixture while another is in use, and vice versa
  • Strange wet patches begin to show up in your back yard above the main sewer line, even when the weather itself is dry

For more on identifying and remedying main sewer line clogs, or to learn about any of our plumbing or HVAC services, speak to the staff at Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical today.

Art depicting idea of plumbers working on main sewer line

There are a few different clog or blockage types that are possible within a given plumbing system, and they are not all created equal. And on the more severe end of the spectrum here, at least in most cases, is a clog or blockage in your home’s main sewer line.

At Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical, our plumbing services include a wide range of solutions for main sewer line issues, including sewer line cleaning and trenchless sewer line repair. While many homeowners have dealt with a basic toilet clog or some other simple drain blockage issue, the main sewer line is an entirely different animal. This two-part blog series will dig into what makes sewer line clogs different from others, plus what causes them and how you can recognize their potential signs.

Sewer Clog Vs. Standard Clogs

So why are sewer line clogs different from a basic toilet backup or something else you can handle with a plunger? Well, because the sewer line is the central one that connects all the other main plumbing lines in your home.

A single clog in a sink drain, toilet or some other area can usually be remedied simply enough, whether via a plunger, drain snake or some other tool. During main sewer line backups, however, every drain in your home can become blocked all at once as the main system floods, leading to major concerns that typically can’t be solved so easily.

Our next few sections will dig into the common causes of main sewer line clogs and backups, plus how they can be avoided so you don’t run into these issues.

Tree Root Concerns

As the home’s primary feeder to the municipal sewer system, your main sewer line typically runs out of your house and through your back yard in piping below the ground’s surface. In cases where your sewer line is damaged in any way, or even in some situations where it isn’t, tree roots from nearby trees may grow into the area and even directly into the pipes as they reach out in search of water sources. This blocks the flow of wastewater, and the issue only increases with time as the roots expand.

For this reason, it’s important to understand where your main sewer line is and manage tree roots in the area. If you’re considering planting new trees, know your sewer line location and avoid it entirely.

Toilet Usage and Items Flushed

Another possible cause of main sewer line blockage: Materials being flushed down the toilet that do not belong there. This includes literally anything other than human waste and toilet paper, even certain wipes listed as “flushable” on the packaging – you still shouldn’t flush these. Toilet paper is made to break down within sewer lines and avoid clogging risks, which is why it’s the only approved material to flush other than your own waste.

For more on clogs in your main sewer line, or to learn about any of our plumbing or HVAC services, speak to the staff at Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical today.

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