Fixing A Backed Up Toilet

Fixing a backed up toilet yourself has two big advantages: You save time and money. After all, who has the leisure—or the inclination—to wait all day for an expensive repair person to stop by? 

Your natural inclination is probably to get as far away as possible from the germs and gunk within and to reach for your phone.

It's true that plumbers are the busiest repair people around, and you might get a busy signal when you call. But remember, it takes courage to tackle a backed up toilet yourself. You can often fix it in a few simple steps.

Fixing a Backed Up Toilet

You know the signs of an impending overflow: the bowl water is rapidly rising - and the rest of the family runs for cover.

Fixing a backed up toilet yourself is not everyone's idea of a good time. But it can be done—plumbing certification is not required.

Next, snugly place the plunger cup over the bowl's drain opening and give it a few vigorous pumps. The idea is to force the obstruction beyond a U-shaped section of toilet pipe, called the "trap," and into the straighter (and broader) drainpipe. 

The blockage should then flow away and take with it any backup water. 

Consider the case where the water in your toilet bowl rises above its average level after you flush. This is not a pretty picture, but if you've got kids who have recently discovered the wonders of toilet paper, it may be familiar. 

The first move to keep a bad situation from getting worse is to remove the top of the tank and flip the rubber stopper in the bottom of the tank back over the drain hole. 

This simple action will stop the flow of water into the bowl, giving you a sense of control and relief.

If it does not, try a slightly different tact: Plumbing with petroleum jelly. Apply a thin ring of petroleum jelly around the rim of the rubber plunger cup. 

Doing this provides for a tighter seal against the bowl - and improves the effectiveness of the pumping action.

Now try again, placing the plunger cup snugly over the bowl's drain opening and giving it a few vigorous pumps.

If Your Efforts Fail

If your second effort doesn't clear the backed up toilet, the problem may lie elsewhere in the sewer drain. Now that you've ruled out a simple clog, it's time to call that busy plumber.

Meanwhile, don't pour caustic liquid plumbing products into the bowl. That way, the plumber doesn't have to deal with harsh chemicals while fixing a backed up toilet.

While you wait:

• Have a family potty talk. One way to prevent such mishaps is to make clear to your family (children especially) that human waste and toilet paper are the only things allowed in the bowl—and a limited amount of that, too. 

• Flush the toliet after each use,  so the tissue doesn't build up in the bowl.

• Keep a small wastebasket near the toilet to dispose of all other items.