Toilet Backing Up? Potential Culprits

When your toilet suffers a clog, things can get bad. Unfortunately, things can go from bad to worse when your toilet begins to back up into your shower. There are numerous reasons why your drain may be clogged, but there are some more common culprits. When you are dealing with a backed-up toilet, it is imperative that you are familiar with the potential causes of what could be caused the blockage, as they can help you in determining the best course of action in terms of repair and preventive measures to take in the future.

Flushed Foreign Objects

Paper towels, feminine hygiene products, and children's toys can cause a blockage in the sewer line. You should never flush anything down the toilet other than biodegradable toilet paper, human waste, and water. If there is anything else that is flushed down the toilet, you may find some serious damage within the plumbing pipes.

Tree Roots

Trees need water to survive, so they are constantly looking for water. Your drain lines offer exactly what they need: moisture. If your pipes have any weaknesses or leaks, then tree roots will be able to make their way into your pipes, resulting in significant blockage and damage.

Hair

When you bathe, you lose a little bit of hair. While it may not be a lot, that small amount of hair that is lost each day builds up in the drain if you do not have a drain strainer that catches it. Those pieces of hair can bundle up together, forming a net and catching other pieces of debris that drop down the drain. Eventually, you will have a significant clog on your hands that will slow down the water drainage and end up stopping the flow of water completely.

Grease

Grease, oils, and fats can cause serious damage when they are allowed to enter into the plumbing system and build up. When these substances are washed off of your dirty dishes in the sink, they enter the exact same sewer line that services your bathroom. Unfortunately, there will come a point that the grease will build up so much that a clog will form in the primary sewer line, resulting in consequences all throughout your home.

Pipe Scale

Scale consists of magnesium or calcium that tends to occur in the water naturally. It is able to form on any and all surfaces that come into contact with water, which includes your pipes. This mineral layer can accumulate, resulting in a large blockage in your drain line. 

Without this knowledge, you cannot begin to fix the problem of a toilet backup. If you would like to learn more or schedule a repair, contact a professional toilet backup service. A toilet backup service can provide additional information. 


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