Clogged toilet? How to clear it and when to call us

If the water rises in the bowl after you flush, stop the water supply first, then reach for the plunger. Done in this order, these steps prevent most of the mess.

1. Don’t flush a second time. Another flush fills the bowl even higher and often sends it over the rim.
2. Stop the water. Lift the tank lid and push the flapper down at the bottom, or close the small valve behind the toilet, near the wall.
3. Protect the floor and wait. Lay down towels and let the water level drop on its own. A paper clog often softens a little while you wait.
4. Use the right plunger. A flange plunger, whose rubber cup extends into a narrow sleeve, is made for toilets; the flat cup kind works better on sinks. There needs to be enough water in the bowl to cover the rubber.
5. Seal, then push. Fit the flange snugly into the opening, push gently once to force the air out, then work it up and down firmly. Pull it off sharply at the end: the change in pressure often dislodges the clog.
6. Test before turning the water back on. Once the level drops, pour a bucket of lukewarm water into the bowl to confirm everything drains, then reopen the supply.

Call if the plunger hasn’t changed anything, if something is stuck, if it’s the only toilet in the house or if other drains are reacting. Here is how our plumbers handle a blocked toilet:

1. A call that pins down the problem. Someone on our team answers right away, asks the right questions and confirms the price before anyone heads out.
2. An auger made for the bowl. The plumber uses a toilet auger, shaped to follow the bowl, so the glaze isn’t scratched.
3. The line checked if needed. If the clog sits further down, the plumber moves on to the rest of the drain system.
4. A watertight reset. When the toilet has to come off the floor, for example to recover an object, it always goes back down on a new wax ring to prevent leaks and odours. You pay once the toilet is flowing again.