Water damage from an overflowing toilet can cost you a lot in water damage.
You’ve just finished your business at the toilet and flushed accordingly. Then, you notice that the water line of the toilet bowl is beginning to rise at an alarming pace. Your gut fills with dread as you think about your toilet overflowing in your bathroom, causing water damage that can potentially cost thousands to repair. You begin to scramble, unaware of what steps you should take next. Should you grab the plunger? Shut the toilet lid and run away? Fear not, because Mahon Plumbing can help walk you through what to do when your toilet overflows.
Immediately Shut off the Water
When your toilet starts to overflow, you’ll want to search for the source to immediately shut off your toilet water before it completely overflows and floods your bathroom. The quickest way to shut off your water is usually by twisting the water valve at the base of the toilet until the water stops overflowing. If the valve is too difficult for you to turn, you can try lifting the float inside of the toilet tank to shut off the water. Once the water has been shut off, you can proceed to the next step.
Plunge Your Toilet
After you’ve successfully shut off your toilet’s water, you’ll want to plunge any water that has risen into the bowl. You’ll want to place your plunger into the toilet bowl until it forms a suction with the base of the toilet bowl. Then, pump the plunger up and down quickly as you watch the toilet bowl water begin to decrease in the bowl. Keep plunging until the plunger is no longer covered in water. Then, flush your toilet. Your toilet should be in good working condition now, though it may need additional plunging if it continues to overflow. When your toilet overflows, you need to act fast.
Prevent Future Overflow Problems
After you’ve taken care of your overflowing toilet properly, you’ll want to try to ensure that you don’t encounter any toilet overflow problems again. Be careful to not flush baby wipes, too much toilet paper, feminine hygiene products, or anything that isn’t solely human waste down your toilet. By doing so, you can try to prevent overflow problems from occurring again. Lastly, if plunging your toilet doesn’t effectively fix your toilet after an overflow problem, you’ll have to contact a plumber for repairs.
Call Mahon Plumbing Today
If you still have more questions regarding your plumbing, we here at Mahon Plumbing are here to help. We have been serving the wider Baltimore area since 1994, so we have 25 years of experience to back up our fantastic service! Call us at our Baltimore location at 410-766-8566 or our Pasadena location at 410-636-7944. Be sure to keep up with us on social media by following us on Facebook or Twitter.