We all know the dreaded moment where you go to flush, and the toilet doesn’t do what you expect it to, as in actually flush, but instead starts filling up. Hopefully not to the point of overflow. First things first: DO NOT FLUSH AGAIN.

Now that we have that covered, here are some things you can do to get that problem fixed.

In your toilet, there should be a flapper; it’s a small (generally black) plastic piece attached to a chain. Just lift up on that chain and see if water releases and the toilet flushes.

This is a simple test to make sure it’s not a pressure issue, but an actual clog causing the problem. If that works, great! If not, here is the next step.

If you’ve never used a plunger before, don’t worry. It’s not a complicated process. All you need to do is grab the plunger, and push it up against the flange (the hole in the bottom where things flush down) and make sure it creates suction and has good pressure. Then all you need to do is keep the head of the plunger sealed against the flange and move the plunger up and down.

Be patient with this. You can try up to 20 times before it may be time to give up. Just make sure you keep enough water in the toilet for the plunger to be totally submerged. Most of the time, this will be enough, but for the tougher cases, we’ll move on to method number 3.

Household toilet snakes are simple and inexpensive. All they are composed of is metal wiring that has a coiled end that can be rotated to remove debris. You don’t need to spend more than $15 to get a snake that can do the job for your toilet.

The instruction manual or a simple youtube video will do for a tutorial on how to get this done.

Sometimes you just won’t be able to unclog the toilet yourself. If these simple methods don’t work, pouring chemicals down your toilet is risky for the piping. Unless you have a very new home, there’s a good chance you’ll end up costing yourself more money by doing that.

That’s why we recommend you go ahead and call a plumber to check out the toilet at the point neither of the previous methods work for you. If you’re so inclined, we’d love it if you gave us a call! We are fast, professional & affordable.