A clogged toilet is a common problem in the bathroom. The good news is, most homeowners can manage a clogged toilet repair easily and get it back up and running in no time.

However, sometimes toilet drains are overwhelmed with toilet paper or clogged by non-flushable items that find their way into the drain. If that’s the case, it may be time to call a plumber. iSky provides clogged toilet repair services and can clear any toilet drain to restore full drainage and powerful flushes. Our skilled plumbers can also fix problems related to running toilets, leaking toilets, broken tanks and bowls, and toilets that don’t flush properly.

 

Following are some simple steps to unclogging the toilet on your own:

 

Get the plunger

Whether the toilet is partially or completely plugged, start with the plunger. A toilet that's completely clogged is pretty obvious. The toilet bowl will fill up with water and probably overflow. Give the water level about 10 minutes to drop and then attempt to plunge.

If you have a partial clog, you might not know it until you flush the toilet. If this is the case, the water level remains high and will usually drain down to normal level within a minute or two. If the water doesn’t drain, don’t flush the toilet again. Grab the plunger.

Here are some plunging tips:

• Make sure you go easy with the first plunge. Initially the bell of the plunger is filled with air. A hard push will force the air back around the seal and blow water all over to bathroom.

• Once you push out the air, plunge forcefully, maintaining the seal. Forcing the water in both directions in the drain will loosen most clogs.

• Keep enough water in the bowl so the plunger stays covered. Trying to force air through the toilet trap won't generate enough pressure.

 

Use the snake

If the plunger won't clear the drain, or if the toilet still won't flush well, use the snake. A drain snake is a long wire coil with a corkscrew-like tip that you feed into your pipes until it reaches the clog. To use it, turn the snake clockwise so that the tip screws into the clog and breaks it up. Or the debris winds onto the wire so you can pull it out.

Try to avoid chemicals. Commercial drain cleaners have harsh chemicals that can damage pipes, and with time, overuse of these cleaners can cause corrosion and spring leaks. Certain types of pipes should never have drain cleaner chemicals used on them.

If none of these repairs unclog your toilet, you may have a bigger plumbing issue and you need to call an expert. iSky professionals are available 24 hours a day to handle any bathroom plumbing emergency.