What Makes a Toilet Burst?

Clogged Toilet

• The most obvious cause of a toilet bursting is a clogged toilet. This might occur when something that doesn’t belong in your toilet, like a sock, toy or other large item, gets lodged inside the toilet. A toilet plunger is the first step for unclogging the toilet. Start out plunging slowly. Over time, increase intensity. This helps reduce the mess.

  Repeat this process as many times as necessary to unclog your toilet. If this doesn’t work, you might need a toilet auger. This tool is available at most hardware stores. It is also called a plumbing snake. Push the snake into the toilet as far as it will go. Pull the snake out to unclog whatever is clogging your toilet.

Clogged Mainline

• Another possible reason for a backed-up toilet is a clogged mainline. This problem happens when water from other places in your home backs up into the toilet. A clogged mainline problem is most common in first-story toilets. If you suspect this problem, ask everyone in your home to stop using the water. This should stop the overflowing. Then, you need to contact a plumber right away. He will clean out your drain line. If this doesn’t work, the line to the street might be the problem. Your plumber can rule out this problem as well.

Full Sewer

• If you’re connected to a septic system, your toilet bursting might be caused by a full septic tank. With a septic system, the sewage from your home goes into a holding tank. When the lines going to the tank get clogged, your toilet can burst. That’s because the sewage has nowhere to go, but back through the toilet. Getting your septic tank maintenance, as recommended by the manufacture, will help avoid this problem.

Tree Roots

• Tree roots are one of the most common causes of sewage backups. This occurs when tree roots grow into your sewer lines. Get rid of this problem by contacting your plumber. He will insert a special tool into your sewer lines and drill out the root that’s blocking your sewage. Prevent this problem in the future by using environmentally safe chemicals to kill root growth. They are available at most home improvement stores.