Is a Clogged Toilet a Maintenance Emergency in Wilmington?

In many ways, the answer to this question depends on how much you know about your plumbing system. While it’s unlikely that a clogged toilet will lead to significant damage to your home, it can still be a maintenance issue that needs to be addressed right away.

If a toilet is clogged and isn’t flushing, it may indicate a problem in the main drain line or sewer lateral. This is an expensive issue to repair, so it’s best to get a professional in right away.

The most common cause of a clogged toilet in Wilmington is a blockage in the curved section of the porcelain base, known as the trap. This can happen as a result of a large piece of bathroom tissue paper or something else.

This can sometimes be resolved with a plunger or other type of toilet drain cleaning tool. However, if it’s deeper into the pipe, an auger may be necessary.

You can also try putting some hot soapy water in the bowl to try and break up the clog before you attempt to flush. Just be sure to do this in a quiet room and give the solution a good 30 minutes or more before trying to use the toilet again.

If the clog is near the entrance of the pipe, you can try using an unrolled clothes hanger to help clear it up. Just make sure that you wrap it in a plastic shopping bag so it doesn’t scratch the toilet bowl.

Another option is to combine household bleach with dishwashing soap. This may break up the clog and help it disseminate through your toilet’s pipes, but you should still contact a plumber if the clog persists.

There are a few other things that you can try to help break up a clog, too. This includes placing a garbage can in close proximity to your toilet and reminding family members of what items are okay to put down the toilet and what is not.

Keeping your toilets in top condition is essential for avoiding frequent calls to your local plumber. In addition, installing a water softener can reduce mineral build-up in the pipes and prevent these clogs from happening again.

If you have children in the house, be sure to keep their toys and other items out of the toilet drain. These items can be very difficult to retrieve after they’ve been flushed, and this is one of the most common causes of toilet clogs.

A strange smell is another sign of a clogged toilet that should be addressed immediately by a professional. This is often the case when a clog in the sewer line isn’t the only thing causing the problem, but rather something more serious like a tree root infiltration.

You can try a few different techniques to get the problem solved, including pouring a baking powder and dish soap solution down the drain along with using a plunger. You can also flush down a few drops of household bleach and water, or even add some vinegar to the mix, which is known for breaking up grease.

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