Blocked Toilet

What can cause a toilet to block?

• Kids Toys
  Some of the more common causes of blocked drains are Children flushing toys or bathroom items down the toilet. This will form an obstruction in the drain, meaning next time your toilet is flushed, the paper will get caught on the obstruction as it tries to pass. This will cause an immediate blocked toilet or the build-up of paper over time will cause clogged drains in your drainage system and block your toilet.
• Deodorisers
  Toilet deodorisers are another common item found to block toilets. If they become detached from the toilet bowl rim, they can easily be flushed down the drain causing problems and clogging up your toilet. Often the plastic mount of the deodoriser will get caught in the S bend of the toilet bowl, once again catching toilet paper on the way past and blocking the drain. Retrieval of the deodoriser is vital to prevent it entering the drain and causing major blocked drains to your home.
• Too Much Toilet Paper
  Too much toilet paper being flushed down a toilet can cause it to block. The excess paper commonly gets caught on junction or tee intersections in the drainage system. The sewer then backs up in the drains and causes the toilet to flush away slowly, builds up in the bowl and overflow onto the floor. Baby wipes, tissues and sanitary items are all other causes of blocked toilets in Melbourne. Sewage drains are not designed to flush away these items and they, more often than not, get caught in property drains and cause sewers to block. If these items make it past the property boundary, they can cause serious environmental issues, as our drainage systems are not designed to process these items.
• Tree Roots
  Tree roots in drains is another common cause of blocked toilets and can be expensive and cause extensive damage to drainage systems if not found and removed quickly and efficiently. Tree roots will enter the drain through cracked pipe work below ground, joints in older pipework “Earthenware” and any open access point there might be in your plumbing drainage system. A drainage system has sewer effluent running down it, which is a fantastic feeding ground for tree roots. Once inside they have all the nutrition they need to not only survive but thrive in the environment. If left to feed, they can cause extensive damage by cracking pipework and allowing the sewer to build up and leak into the ground causing moisture content issues around your homes footing and foundations.

  At its worst drains may need to be excavated and the section of drain that is blocked with tree root may need to be removed and replaced. This can be an expensive exercise as location, depth of drain and access, all play a part in the cost of digging up drains.

• Collapsed Drains
  Broken and collapsed drains can happen when a drain has been leaking, causing the surrounding bedding material and soil to be washed away. With no support, the drainpipes can break and collapse (ie: under a driveway). Once collapsed, the drain generally will need to be excavated and replaced. A collapsed drain will not only cause your toilet to block but depending on the location of the collapsed drain can cause other areas of your homes plumbing system drains to clog up. Once the drain has collapsed it allows the surrounding soil in the area to enter the drains and will cause further damage, so time is a key factor in limiting the damage and cost of repairs.