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How to Keep Your Toilet Drain Clean

toilet drain ed rike

Tips for Toilet Drain Cleaning

There are few experiences worse than trying to clear a badly-clogged toilet drain. You’re lucky if the dirty water doesn’t get all of your floors or –  even worse – your feet. You may think that clogging toilets are just a part of life, but that’s not the case.

Below are some things you can do to prevent future clogs. Plus, if you’re in the market for a new toilet, recent innovations have made toilets that are almost impossible to clog. Here’s how.

Different Toilet Drain Options

what it isStandard siphonic toilets rely on gravity to flush the waste down the drain. A siphon jet at the very bottom of the toilet bowl jumpstarts the process by shooting water into the trapway.

Once the siphon process is started, the water from the tank drains down into the bowl, usually from rim jets placed around the toilet rim. When everything is working properly, gravity does its thing and the waste is whisked away, either into a septic tank or on a long journey to your local sewage depository.

Now, there’s a couple of things that modern toilet makers do to keep toilets from getting clogged. The first is they widen and shorten the trapway, which is where clogs tend to happen in siphonic toilets. Washdown toilets have trapways which are 4-inches in diameter – almost double the standard size of a siphonic toilet.

You can also get a pressure-assist unit, which uses pressure to shoot water down the trapway, helping prevent clogs. But, pressure-assist units can only be used in toilets designed for them.

Professional Toilet Clog Removal

If you have a siphonic toilet that relies on gravity, which most people still have, you may wonder how plumbers go about removing tough clogs. After all, you may want to try it yourself. But be warned, toilet drains can be easily damaged without the proper tools and techniques.

toilet clog removal

Most tough clogs are the result of too much toilet paper or someone flushing something that’s not meant to go in the toilet. If you have kids, you’ve probably experienced both of these before. For many clogs, a flange plunger and a bucket of warm water will do the trick. But, when that fails, it’s time to call a professional.

Plumbers have different ways of clearing clogged drains. One is the snake, which can be fed down the drain and moved around to clear the clog. Another option that’s popular today is hydro jetting, which consists of shooting a high-pressure stream of water down the drain, effectively unclogging the drain and cleaning any other buildup at the same time. But, how about preventing the clogs in the first place?

How to Prevent Clogged Toilet Drains

maintenance servicesThe most obvious way to prevent clogs is to teach your children not to flush anything besides toilet paper and human waste. Plus, if you have a septic system, the type of toilet paper you use should be considered.

Be sure to get septic safe toilet paper. Cleaning your toilet regularly with a mild cleaner can also help to prevent buildup, which can lead to clogs. But, best of all, you can schedule regular maintenance with a professional plumber.

Like any other system, your plumbing works well when cared for by experts. Maintenance is quick, easy, and can help you head off plumbing emergencies that tend to happen when you least expect. Of course, as mentioned above, you can always get a new, no-clog toilet. Just call your local plumber to make sure it’s installed properly and that your pipes can handle it.

Choose a Local Plumber

At Ed Rike Plumbing, Heating & Air, reliable plumbing service is their main focus. With years of local expertise and a customer-focused mentality, they make quick work of even your toughest clogs. Dealing with a toilet issue? Let them know to get your plumbing flowing again!