How To Do Vancouver Clogged Toilet Repair Like A Professional (Almost)

Vancouver homeowners know the nuisance of a clogged toilet very well—we've all been there. You press the lever or button down, but your bathroom buddy doesn't respond with a flush. In fact, nothing goes down at all, and now more water is filling the bowl. Maybe you press it again, just to be sure, but that's a mistake. The contents are almost up to the rim of the bowl now. Stop what you’re doing and consider investing in Mr. Rooter’s Vancouver clogged toilet repair service immediately, as flushing is clearly not the solution.

Although our local Vancouver plumber team is geared up for issues like this, who knows what's going to happen before they get there? Was that a gurgling sound? Chances are, this is a problem you can first attempt to solve yourself—as long as you know how to do so safely.

How Do You Know It's Even Clogged?

If what we just described is similar in any way to the situation you're currently dealing with, you have a clogged toilet. Vancouver property owners can spot a small blockage and beat it back before a big one causes a disaster. Before doing this, there are three important questions you should ask yourself:

Is it draining slowly? Slow drains is a sure sign that flow is being blocked. This is true for all sewer line variations: shower, sink and bathtub drains and all the other fixtures through which water leaves your residence.
Do you hear a gurgling sound? These noises are caused by changes in liquid-to-air ratios, which result in sewer gas floating up and escaping into your home. It's another sure sign of material build up.
Do you smell something foul? Persistent sewer odours coming from rooms in your home that have plumbing fixtures is a good indication that something is wrong.

If you notice any of these toilet issues, it's imperative to locate the blockage and destroy it before it has a chance to ruin your day in Vancouver. Clogged toilet repair could be a costly one, depending on the damage.

What Causes Clogged Toilets?

Vancouver homeowners dread to discover anything blocking their pipes but clearing that clog once and for all is essential. Otherwise, you might find yourself in this exact same situation over and over again. All licensed plumbers know that there are, in fact, several factors that create an annoyance like this, but ideally it's just a simple, straightforward cause.

You should always remember that your plumbing system is only designed to handle three things: water, human waste and toilet paper—and even then the latter will cause problems in large amounts. You should never let any foreign object get into your pipes.

Clogs are created by flushing:

Tissues, paper towels and wet wipes (yes, even flushable wipes!)
Built-up soap scum
Hair from shaving or brushing
Dental floss
Food waste
Large foreign objects (like jewellery or children's toys)
Hygiene products
Garbage
Anything that isn't water, human waste or regular amounts of toilet paper

If you have to ask whether it's okay to flush something, the answer is probably no. To learn more about the causes, we’ll go more into depth to ensure you have all the information you need to protect your Vancouver home:

When Non-Flushables Create A Blockage

The abrasive texture of paper towels and wet wipes aren’t suitable for flushing, but it just seems so convenient to some people to flush down facial tissues, including Kleenex, make-up remover wipes. Unfortunately, these tissues aren’t designed to break down like toilet paper and could cause serious blockages over time.

Did you just step out of the shower with a strainer full of hair, but the garbage is not nearby, so you have the urge to flush it down the toilet? Think about it—if you protect your shower from hair, you should protect your toilet, too. The problem is that string-like items like hair or dental floss easily get caught in pipes. They also never dissolve.

You Have A Clogged P-Trap Or S-Trap

The p-trap usually goes through the wall, whereas the waste pipe of an S-trap goes through the floor. However, waste still gets caught in these traps, causing a partial clog, which might not be noticeable at first but will certainly become so when you experience a full clog. Whether your pan type goes through the floor or wall, it helps to check if it might be leaking or broken. It’s worth examining your p-trap now even if all is fine at home in Vancouver. Clogged toilet repairs often start with a p-trap inspection.

You Haven’t Upgraded Your Old Low-Flow Model

In the 90’s, low-flow toilets were created to help homeowners save water. While they can reduce water usage, their lower water flow and pressure also has less force, making it more difficult to clear the waste in your drain and P-trap. This leads to frequent and stubborn clogs. Modern versions of these early low-flow toilets boast more features and a greater flushing power, making an upgrade essential for anyone suffering from constant clogs in an older low-flow toilet.

You Have Old Plumbing Pipes

Older homes typically have a cast iron plumbing system. Cast iron pipes have their pros and cons, but we are likely talking about cons because that plumbing system will be close to reaching its lifespan, as this material is no longer used today. The overall plumbing system won’t be as efficient as it once was, especially if there are already signs of rust and corrosion.

Damaged pipes like that are the main triggers leading to the need for Vancouver clogged toilet repair. If you have cast iron or galvanized pipes that are sensitive to most drain cleaning products, we recommend hiring a local Vancouver plumber to inspect them. Otherwise, it could lead to serious problems in the future.

Do I Really Need Clogged Toilet Repair?

Vancouver homeowners don’t tend to think it’s serious when it happens once or twice, because most of the time, toilet drain issues aren't serious and all they need is a little elbow grease. But we all want to be prepared for the worst-case scenario—and if we can—prevent this scenario from happening.

Potential Sewer Line Damage

Frequent need of clogged toilet repair, and situations where it's accompanied by blockages in other rooms or even sewage backing up into your home, is a sign that serious damage to your sewer line has occurred. This is a serious issue you won’t be able to fix yourself. If this is the case, you may need professional sewer line cleaning services from a certified plumber. If you're unsure, you can do some research about the signs you need sewer cleaning and learn about preventative measures that you can take.

Sewer line issues won’t just show in the form of a clogged toilet. Vancouver property owners might have to witness other plumbing fixtures failing to remove wastewater because of a sewage backup. Some common causes include:

Tree roots puncturing lines underground
Cracked, corroded or burst pipes
Sagging soil and house settling
The presence of other foreign objects

Your local Vancouver plumber will do a plumbing video camera inspection to diagnose the exact cause and offer you the fastest and most cost-effective solution.

How Do I Do Clogged Toilet Repair?

Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty. Imagine that water is slowly seeping through the cracks between your toilet seat and the lid. You need a fast solution, and we have you covered. The best option is always to grab a plunger. If you don't have a plunger already, and you're reading this preemptively, now is the time to go out and purchase one.

Did you know there are different types of plungers? Make sure you choose one that's best for your needs. Toilet plungers and accordion plungers are great for bathroom drain clogs. If you don't have a plunger but need clogged toilet repair, there are some other potential solutions. You might be tempted to use a sewer or drain snake, but we don't recommend it—you might cause damage to your toilet if used incorrectly.

Hot water method: Sometimes, filling a pan with water and heating it up to just before the boiling point is enough. Once you've done this, you can try to pour it down the drain to clear a clog.

Note: this isn't going to work if the toilet bowl is already full. If that’s the case, you will have to pull on a pair of rubber gloves and remove excess water from the bowl into a bucket.

Can I use cleaning products? Chemical drain cleaners like Drano are a tempting option, and they might clear out built-up minerals and sludge, but they also might not break apart your blockage. We don't recommend choosing this option because it’s corrosive to pipes and fixtures in Vancouver. Clogged toilet repair may turn into drain line replacement, which will be considerably more expensive.
Did you try a plunger? If the water isn't still rising and the situation is at a stand-still, the best option really is to get a plunger.
When is it time for professional methods? When all else fails, it's time to call experienced plumbers in Vancouver. Clogged toilet repair often requires a licensed, experienced plumbing technician who has the tools to carefully diagnose any root problems. Advanced plumbing tools and techniques, such as taze plungers and toilet augers, can quickly and easily clear away toilet clogs.

How To Avoid Needing Clogged Toilet Repair

Vancouver property owners know very well not to flush garbage down the toilet, but there’s more that you can do to prevent any plumbing disasters in the future.

Keep It Clean

Whether hot water, saltwater or baking soda and white vinegar, you can use these methods as a means of cleaning sink and toilet drains to remove soap residue and other substances before they become nasty sludge or create blockages down the line. If you do use drain cleaners, choose an enzyme-based brand rather than a chemical-based one. Bleach is another common method where people pour two to three cups down the drain. While it’s not one of our preferences, it’s still better than Drano.

Get Vancouver Drain Cleaning Services

Your sewer line and secondary drain lines are responsible for removing liquid waste from your home. Still, debris and other dirt create blockages that affect your pipes' overall health, starting with either a clogged kitchen sink or a clogged toilet. Vancouver homes that have recurring toilet backups and sewer gas smells might be having severely clogged drains that could lead to serious problems if left untreated.

The best way to keep your drains spotless is to schedule a routine drain cleaning service with your local plumber at Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Vancouver. We specialize in thorough cleaning using our HydroScrub Jetting technology that blasts away nasty buildups in your pipes. This is the best way to prevent your worst-case scenarios, including sewer backups.

Don’t worry if you haven’t had drain cleaning services with us before. Our drain cleaning experts will do a plumbing diagnosis and inspection of your pipes to ensure they are in good shape and can handle the PSI of our HydroScrub Jetting system. While already in-house, our professional plumbers are happy to inspect other fixtures that might be of concern to you.

We recommend having your household drains cleaned every year or two to prevent plumbing issues like a clogged toilet. Vancouver plumbing systems can possibly get away with perhaps two years if homeowners take the necessary precautions to keep their drains healthy.

Do You Need A Plumber’s Help With Clogged Toilet Repair In Vancouver?

Whether you need a plumbing inspection service, water tank repair or have a collapsed sewer line, Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Vancouver has 24/7 guaranteed service to help with all emergencies to ensure that you are safe and avoid costly damage. For that reason, we never charge overtime fees like other plumbing companies.

Give us a call at (604) 433-5555 to learn more about our plumbing maintenance, repair or replacement services or request an appointment online. You can count on our team of local experts for guaranteed workmanship and excellent customer service.