Panic sets in pretty fast when your toilet starts flooding your bathroom with raw sewage. You need to act quickly to prevent water damage and minimize the clean up in your bathroom too. By following these important steps from FitzGerald and Sons Plumbing Company, you can limit your toilet catastrophe.

  • Shut Your Water Valve Off—Every fixture, including your toilet, should have, by code, an individual shut-off valve.  The valve, or “stop”, for the toilet is located under and usually to the left side, (if facing the toilet), of the tank.  Turning this valve clockwise will shut off the water supply to the toilet tank.  BEWARE OF CPVC PIPE!  IF YOU HAVE CPVC PIPE, IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO SHUT OFF THE WATER COMING INTO THE HOUSE.  CPVC pipe can become very brittle and often will break off at the slightest movement, such as turning off a valve.
  • Look For The Flapper—There is a rubber piece in the bottom of your toilet tank known as the flapper. If it appears to be open, close it manually with your hand. If the flapper is closed, look for the float which could be a ball, (older toilets), or a black plastic cylinder, about 2-½” in diameter that slides up and down a tube. The float is designed to tell the toilet when the water level is maxed out. If the float is not working correctly,, lift it up to shut off the incoming water.
  • Grab a Plunger—If you have a clog, a simple plunger may be able to alleviate it and get your toilet back in working order.
  • Call FitzGerald and Sons Plumbing Company—When you have followed the first 3 steps and your toilet is still malfunctioning, call in the professionals. We offer emergency services to handle your plumbing issues quickly and properly.  If all else fails, in any circumstance, turn off the main water supply to the house!  As a homeowner, you should know where that valve is.  You should also have a meter wrench so that in extreme circumstances you can shut the water off there.  

 

If your toilet is trying to turn your bathroom into a swimming pool, reach out to FitzGerald and Sons Plumbing Company now. We can help you get your toilet under control and flushing properly again.