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Plumbing Emergency: What To Do During a Flood

Welcome! My name is Sally. This is my blog about plumbing. I decided to start writing about plumbing after a very scary experience. I arrived home from work one day only to discover that a pipe burst in my home. When I opened the front door, I saw a torrent of water pouring down the stairs. I panicked and ran next door to my neighbour. Luckily, he used to work as a construction contractor, so he has a lot of experience in dealing with household problems. He helped me to turn off the mains water and helped me to mop up the mess. After this event, I decided I wanted to learn more about the plumbing in my house, so I went to a night school class.

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Plumbing Emergency: What To Do During a Flood

'Erm, It's Still There' 4 Reasons Your Toilet Isn't Flushing Solid Waste

by Melvin Owens

So, you've flushed your toilet as usual, then turned around to be confronted by the fact that your solid waste is still hanging around. This can be pretty disgusting, not to mention embarrassing. Unfortunately, there are actually quite a few reasons why it might be occurring.

Here are just four.

1. There's a Clog

The most obvious answer to your toilet's inconvenient habit of failing to clear solid waste is that there is a clog. This will restrict the amount of water that can leave the toilet with each flush, so waste will not be dragged down into the sewer with sufficient force. Luckily, this a problem you can test. Simply take a large bucket of water and start pouring it into the bowl. If there's no clog, no amount of pouring will make the toilet overflow because the water is taken as fast as you can pour it.

2. The Level is Set Too Low

You might also find that your toilet's inlet valve has been adjusted to ensure that the water is cut off sooner when heading into the cistern; many people do this to try and save water. It isn't actually the lack of water itself that causes problems, but rather the fact that only a higher level of water will produce enough pressure during each flush. Without the appropriate level of pressure, the water will flow from cistern into toilet bowl without enough force to remove solid waste.

3. Your Septic Tank is Full

This applies, of course, only to those households with drains that flow into a septic tank instead of into a sewer. Make sure you know which system your toilet flows into. If it's a septic tank and you don't know when it was last emptied, call for a professional immediately. If you allow the septic tank to overfill, it can cause blockages in your drains – this is clearly a situation that can get much worse if you let it.

4. Issues with the Vent

Lastly, it might be the vent that is to blame. Your plumbing drains can only work if air is able enter from behind. If it does not, a vacuum forms behind anything that you are attempting to flush away. Eventually, the force of that pressure can pull the water from your sink and toilet traps, meaning that there is no standing water to prevent sewer gas from entering your home.  

For more information, contact P1 Plumbing & Electrical or a similar company.

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