Few plumbing issues can be as frustrating as a toilet backup. Especially when you can't pinpoint the source of a toilet backup, it can be highly problematic. The best thing that you can do as a homeowner is to understand some of the most common causes of toilet backups and the best solutions for those causes. Here's a look at some of the things that you need to consider when you're dealing with this type of plumbing problem.

What Type Of Toilet Is It?

The first thing you need to think about is what type of toilet you're dealing with. This is important for a couple of reasons. First, if you have a dual-flush toilet, the unit has two different flush buttons. One button is designed for flushing liquid waste, while the other is designed for flushing solid waste. These toilets are crafted to minimize water waste by using a lower volume of water for liquid flushes. Because of this reduced water use, trying to flush solid waste with the liquid waste flush button can cause the toilet to clog due to insufficient water and flush pressure.

Additionally, if you're dealing with an older model of toilet, the unit may not have the proper size plumbing fixtures or sufficient pressure behind the flush to allow for adequate flushing. This can lead to persistent and repeated clogs in the plumbing.

How Much Is Being Flushed?

Especially in houses with kids, flushing too much at once can lead to serious toilet backups. Kids have a tendency to over-use toilet paper, and even though toilet paper is meant to break down in septic systems, it doesn't break down fast enough to avoid a clog in the toilet.

Make sure that your kids know to use the toilet paper only as needed and not to fill the bowl with paper. Recommend an extra flush when needed to help reduce the accumulation of toilet paper in the bowl so that the toilet fishes properly.

Is The Tank Filling Properly?

The water used to flush the toilet is pre-measured based on the fill level of the toilet tank. As a result, when the tank isn't filling correctly, the toilet is likely to experience backups and not flush correctly. The tank may not be filling all the way due to issues such as a stuck float or a fill valve that's been adjusted too low. You can replace the float or adjust the fill valve to add more water to the toilet tank when necessary.

If you can't determine the source of the problem, or you can't resolve the problem on your own, reach out to a local toilet backup repair technician for help.