Backed Up Toilets Can Have Many Causes

The stink, the stress, the mess. There's nothing good about having your toilet back up. Overflowing toilets are never good news. Ask any Chicagoland plumber: nothing gets the phone ringing faster than the discovery there's four inches of water on the bathroom floor!

What Makes Toilets Back Up?

For a toilet to back up, returning water and other less desirable substances to the interior of your home, something has to stop the toilet from draining properly. Often, this is a clog. Clogs block the sewer pipe - sometimes gradually, over the course of time, and other times, all at once. If you notice your toilet has not been flushing normally, you can call your plumber and have them clean your sewer drains before the toilet backs up.

Sewer lines can be clogged in a number of ways.

Some clogs are completely beyond the homeowner's control. Aged, collapsing pipes, shifting earth, and tree roots can all wreak havoc on your home's sewer lines. Inside, clogs can be caused by inappropriate objects being flushed down the toilet. Grease, soap, hair, food, fabric, small toys, cell phones, pet treats, and countless other objects have all found their way down the drain - and all can stop your toilet from operating properly.

What Can Be Done About A Clogged Toilet?

The plunger has long been the homeowner's first choice when it comes to home toilet repair. If you can dislodge the clog with some fast plunger work, good for you! All you have to do now is clean up the mess and hope it doesn't happen again.

If, however, the plunger doesn't do the trick - or if it does, but you want to prevent any repeat performances! - you'll want to call in your Chicagoland plumber. They have the tools and equipment needed to get the job done right. There are a number of options they can use, based upon what's causing the problem. New visual inspection technology allows your plumber to discover what's clogging up the system without having to excavate your entire yard! This specially designed camera system can reveal whether someone's flushed Pooh Bear down the potty or if tree roots are growing where they don't belong.

Heavy duty industrial snakes can sometimes clear obstructions that occur high in your lines. Chemical treatments, far stronger than what you can buy in the discount store, yet specially formulated to protect the environment, may be used to remove clogs. Specially designed tools for cutting tree roots out of sewer lines are amazingly effective. On rare occasions, when sewer lines are extensively damaged or collapsed, excavation and replacement may be required. 

Avoiding Problems Before They Start

Sewer drains need regular cleaning. How often your sewer drains need to be cleaned depends on a number of factors: the number of people in your home, how heavily your system is used, ground water levels in your region, severe weather events, and more. If you don't know or can't remember the last time you had your sewer drains cleaned, they likely need it. Regular maintenance can help you avoid problems before they start, and avoid unpleasant surprises!