Plumber Arlington
Clear a Stopped Up Toilet
It is something of a tongue twister-proper plunger procedure-and the plunger is a tool almost every home has because sooner or later every home needs one.
The surprising fact is, almost every home has the wrong one and many homeowners don’t know how to use one correctly.
Plungers are not all created equally, they are in fact created for a specific job and that is why you see plungers that don’t look the same.
There are toilet plungers and there are sink plungers. The toilet plunger is bell shaped with a flange, and the purpose of that flange is to get down into the bottom of the toilet where discharge occurs, it is also called a flange plunger. The flange plunger will provide a snug fit and a vacuum into the toilet bottom where draining occurs. A sink plunger (also called a cup plunger) lacks the flange and won’t provide the needed vacuum to effectively clear a toilet clog.
Clearing a Clogged Toilet
If the toilet has a water shut off valve turn it off. This will prevent the tank from filling and additional water entering the toilet bowl, potentially causing the toilet to overflow. If your toilet doesn’t have a cut off valve someone can lift up on the float or float lever to prevent water from entering and overflowing the toilet bowl.
Follow these instructions for the proper use of a toilet plunger.
- First, allow the plunger to fill with water and then position the flange evenly over the opening of the toilet bottom.
- Plunge up and down to obtain a good suction of the flange on the toilet drain. When good suction is obtained it will resist pulling.
- Push and pull with rapid strokes to break up the clog. You want the plunger to maintain suction while attempting to break up the clog. Keep the plunger handle straight, don’t bend it towards you as this will break the suction seal it has on the bottom and reduce clog busting pressure.
- Next pull up to break the suction and break up the clog. If it doesn’t work try again.
- Often, when the clog clears, the water level in the bowl will empty, when this occurs you want to ensure the clog is clear. Do this by pouring a bucket of water into the bowl. Don’t flush, if the clog has moved but not cleared the toilet may overflow. An alternative check method is to remove the tank lid and slowly lift the flapper seal at the bottom of the tank allowing water to enter the bowl. Don’t lift the flapper all the way up or the toilet will flush. If the water that you have allowed to enter the bowl goes down without a continual rise the clog is cleared. You may then flush the toilet.
If plunging is unable to clear the clog then it is time to call a licensed plumber. Benjamin Franklin Plumbing – Fort Worth provides 24 hour emergency plumbing service for your convenience. When you need a plumber in Arlington, or the Fort Worth area, give the licensed professionals of Benjamin Franklin Plumbing a call, we will be happy to take care of your plumbing woes and guarantee a professional job each and every time.