This is one experience most people hope they will never have. Your toilet deals with all the waste from your house and usually quietly disposes of it. However, it is possible that your toilet will develop issues and start to back up into other appliances, usually starting with your shower.
If left untreated it can back up to your sink, although it is likely to come out of the shower tray and onto your floor first.
It should be noted that while you can deal with this issue yourself, wastewater and associated products can be harmful to your health. It may be a better option to get your preferred plumbing services Sydney involved.
How Backup Occurs
All your water appliances are connected via the waste pipes. The generally has the largest pipe and connects directly to the sewer. The other appliances will join the sewer pipe, usually before they leave the bathroom.
In most cases, the waste products flow down the drain and away. However, items like wet wipes, sanitary products, and even kid’s toys can be flushed down the toilet and cause a clog in the pipes. As the clog starts to form you’ll often find that your appliances are draining slower than normal.
Once the clog has blocked the pipe the wastewater has nowhere to go.
Your shower is generally the lowest drain point in your house. As the wastewater and associated products have to go somewhere they will fill the pipes coming off the main sewer pipe, the first sign of this will be when it starts to bubble out of the shower drain.
Action You Need To Take
When this has occurred your clog is past the connections of all the appliances, meaning it’s in the main sewer line but still your responsibility. You’ll need to start with a drain snake or auger. This is a flexible but strong piece of metal.
Start by removing the drain cover and then slowly slide it into the shower drain. It’s flexible enough to bend around the curves and will keep going until it finds the clog. You’ll then need to move the auger around, back and forth, and side-to-side in an effort to shift the clog. In most cases, the auger will penetrate through the clog and allow the wastewater to start draining. The spinning motion of the auger is likely to pull some of the clog back as you wind the auger in. If it comes to your shower drain you’ll want gloves and a bag to immediately dispose of it.
It’s a good idea to run a drain camera through the pipes afterward to ensure the blockage is clear.
If you can’t find a blockage then you may want to check your ventilation pipe. A blockage in this can prevent air from escaping and force liquid into your shower drain. A blockage near the top of a vent pipe can be hooked out, if it’s near the bottom it will need to be flushed down with a hosepipe.
Of course, if neither of these works it’s definitely time to call the professionals.