How To Prevent Toilet Bowl Chokes?

A toilet bowl is designed for getting rid of solid and liquid waste. One of the most common toilet bowl problems which Singaporean homeowners face is a toilet bowl choke. In some cases, the family can clear the choked toilet bowl themselves before it causes any damage to their home.

Although, oftentimes, it may not be possible to use the toilet bowl for some time because of the toilet bowl choke. Professional help is then required to clear the choked toilet bowl. However, engaging a professional plumber for clearing it might be expensive, here are some tips to prevent a toilet bowl choke:

 

Practice Proper Flushing

Toilet bowls are designed for getting rid of human waste and small amounts of toilet paper. However, most people are flushing a large number of unwanted items in their toilet bowl, since it is a convenient way to get rid of them. These items such as sanitary napkins, pads, and tampons can cause clogging of the toilet bowl in the long term. These products will expand when they absorb water – preventing waste and water from being drained away.

Additionally, these also degrade very slowly, becoming one of the reasons why your toilet bowl chokes regularly. Paper towels, cleaning wipes, and cotton balls are often labeled flushable, yet can clog the toilet bowl and pipes. Grease should also not be dumped in a toilet bowl, since it adheres to the walls of the pipes and often causes a choked toilet bowl.

 

Use the Double-Flush

Users should flush the toilet twice after using it. Flushing the first time will help get rid of human waste, flushing the second time should help in disposing of the toilet paper used. This ensures that all the waste and paper is disposed of and does not accumulate. Alternatively, smaller amounts of toilet paper should be flushed each time. Other than flushing the toilet twice after using it, you can look into purchasing different types of flush systems to prevent your toilet from choking.

 

Keep the Tanks Clear

Many people use the top of the flush tank as a counter, where they can keep various things like the toilet cleaner, cleaning brush, and room freshener. Most of the time when no one is using the toilet bowl, they do not realize that these items may accidentally fall in the toilet bowl.

Family members often do not notice that the item has fallen in the toilet bowl and may flush it, blocking the pipes – one of the signs of a choked toilet bowl. Hence, it is advisable not to keep anything on top of the toilet bowl tank or other areas in the vicinity.

 

Address Slow Drains

Initially, when a new toilet bowl is installed, the wastewater will be drained away quickly, but after some years, users will notice that it will take more time for the waste to drain away. While homeowners may neglect the problem initially due to lack of time, the problem will worsen over time.

In some cases, the slow drain may be caused due to a problem with the specific tank, or the roots of trees blocking the drainage of water. Another case could be an old toilet bowl with a low power flush.

 

Regular Cleaning

It is important to clean and maintain your toilet bowl. Cleaning the toilet bowl helps in removing the stains and dirt on the toilet bowl so that it will look brand new. In addition, the person cleaning it will also notice if there is an item that has accidentally fallen in the toilet bowl, or the toilet bowl is clogged due to the use of toilet paper and others.

 

Avoid Chemical Cleaners

Though chemical cleaners are one of the quick and convenient ways how to unclog your choked toilet bowl and to dissolve the solids which are clogging the toilet bowl, they should not be used regularly to prevent damage to the plumbing system. The chemicals may also react with the pipe material, causing some damage and reducing the pipe thickness.

 

Do Not Delay

Homeowners should not delay in taking corrective action once they notice that waste from the toilet bowl is draining very slowly or there is a weak toilet bowl flush system. This problem is likely to aggravate over time.

At first, homeowners can use the simplest solution using a plunger to clean the drain. They should also check if anything has accidentally fallen in their one-piece or two-piece toilet bowl. If they are unable to clear the choked toilet bowl by themselves quickly, they should get professional help immediately.

 

Conclusion

You can encounter common toilet bowl issues such as a toilet bowl leak, a weak flush, and a toilet bowl choke. It is better to prevent toilet bowl chokes ahead of time to avoid inconveniences and save money. Regularly cleaning your toilet bowl, avoiding chemical cleaners, and practicing proper flushing are just some of the ways to prevent having a choked toilet bowl. It is still best though to engage a professional plumber to rectify such issues as they are more experienced and can resolve them in no time.

 

At Toilet Bowl City Singapore, we understand the need to keep home service expenses within your budget. Hence, we offer honest and reasonable pricing for any of your toilet bowl installations works. Select from our range of toilet bowl brands, browse our past toilet bowl installation projects for inspiration, or read up on toilet bowl-related articles to find out more about toilet bowl installation services. Get in touch with us now via WhatsApp at +65 8241 0032!