A toilet is an appliance in one’s home that serves a single, solitary purpose. It is situated inside your bathroom and only used when needed. Despite that primary function, you may feel the appliance should last long. While that is certainly the case for most folks, issues are still bound to arise.
Take, for example, the problem of your toilet overflowing. This can cause quite a messy situation overall, leading to unnecessary spillages and clean-ups in the space. Overflowing can occur in one of several ways, but they can always be sourced back to something not working. Use the following as a guide to prevent future overflows from happening in the toilet.
1. Stay Prepared
As mentioned, your overflowing toilet can lead to quite a messy affair. You will have to get your hands dirty in many instances, literally and figuratively. In this regard, it always helps to prepare by first gathering the right supplies and utensils. These cleaning products are not extensive, but they do their job correctly.
Get some old towels or rags that are not being used, and spread them around the toilet area. This will help ensure that spillage doesn’t go onto the bathroom floor. You may also want to grab some gloves and cleaning products. The latter will keep the bowl pristine after the issue is resolved.
If all else fails, you must call a plumber to tackle the overflowing issue. Professionals like Birnie Plumbing can pinpoint exactly where the problem is inside your toilet. With a bit of manual labour, they can fix it completely. Then, it will be a thing of the past!
2. Water Supply
Since the primary issue is overflowing, turning off the water will be key. Most homeowners can locate their water shut-off valve in a nearby room. The valve will usually be inside the basement if you live in a home. Head down to this room, and turn off the valve before returning to the bathroom.
It is important to note that water should not be used for the remainder of the process. Ensure no one else in the home requires running water for now. Sometimes, a shut-off valve is not designated for one appliance in particular. It may stop water from running throughout the entire home, so be prepared for that situation if necessary.
3. Examine the Toilet
First and foremost, you will want to take the lid off of the toilet itself. Brace it against a nearby wall until you finish the overall procedure. Then, take a look inside the toilet’s tank. It can be pretty easy to detect if anything looks out of place when you do this. If something is amiss, focus your efforts on that area.
It is essential not to flush the toilet once the water supply has been shut down. Doing so can hamper the overall process and make things harder than needed. In addition, if there are any issues with the pipes connected to the toilet, do not remove them! You do not want to risk taking out the wrong pipe and causing more overflow.
4. The Float
The inner workings of one’s toilet are generally comprised of a few key components. One of those parts has to do with a float, which, as the name implies, floats above the water inside. Two types of floats could be inside your toilet. A ball float is the most common component, while a cup-shaped float is the other variation.
Depending on which one you have, you will have to employ a varied set of steps. Either way, ensure the float returns to its natural position. Overflows can often occur because the float has been lowered or rendered out-of-sync. Fix this particular situation, and the overflows should cease after that.
5. Leaky Pipes
Your toilet will also have a set of interconnected pipes that comprise the back end of its structure. Over time, due to many factors, these pipes can weaken in their structural integrity. If just one of these pipes leaks, it could cause one of several issues in the toilet. Focus your attention on getting these professionally replaced if that is the case.
6. Tank Blockages
Some toilets may have a septic variation of a tank. While that may not be cause for concern initially, blockages could occur more often than expected. Always watch how much toilet paper is flushed to prevent unnecessary blockages and overflow.