by Joe Brooks

Created on: March 13, 2010

Of all the morning woes a homeowner can face, one of the most distressing is a clogged toilet. Such an event is not good at any time of day, of course, but who wants to face a clogged toilet before the second cup of coffee? Fortunately for the person in charge of these emergencies in your household, the clog can usually be cured with only a tool or two plus a little know-how. You probably will not need to call the

plumber, but it would not hurt to have your local plumbing professional's number programed in your phone, or scribbled somewhere at least, just in case things get out of hand.

To prevent the clog from ever happening, you should keep the lid closed and keep an eye on your kids, if any. It is fun to flush, and watch things swirl around and go away, if you are young and have an inquiring mind and an experimental nature. A handful of crayons, the hairbrush for little sister's doll, and a lump of clay will make a science project that can transform into a parent's nightmare the next morning.

If you could see the problem coming, that would help. So if you do notice a little slowing of the flush, it might be wise to take some steps before you face a fully plugged toilet. If you suspect a clog, you can lift the lid to the toilet tank, raise the valve a little, and allow some water to flow. That will tell you if the toilet is fully clogged. If the water in the bowl raises and does not go anywhere after ten minutes or so, it is clogged and you need to take some action.

The good news is that the measures most likely to succeed are both fairly easy and fairly inexpensive. A plunger costs only a few dollars, and a plumber's auger can be had for a reasonable price as well. You should really have two types of plunger, the flat-faced one for sinks and tubs, and the flange type for toilets. They can be used for both, but it's kind of disgusting to contemplate transitioning from toilet to kitchen sink, and it only costs a few dollars more for the luxury of a separate sink plunger. The auger also comes in two types. The one for the toilet is sometimes called a closet auger. It has a shape conducive to getting beyond the first bend and a protective cover to keep from scratching the porcelain.

If you have used one of the corrosive toilet unclogging chemicals, you should don protective gear before you plunge, at least gloves and some kind of eye covering. Introduce the plunger, and began the rocking, sucking, back-and-forth motion that will hopefully break up the clog and allow the toilet to flush. If several attempts do not produce the required result, get ready with the auger.

Push the auger in and twist it. The idea is to break up the clog, allowing it to flush away, or to withdraw it by hooking the springy end of the auger into the offending substance. Most of the time the clog is not too far down the line, and you can reach it this way. If you cannot reach it through the toilet and you are willing and able to carry the home handy-person thing a little further, you can consider lifting the toilet and trying to get a little further down the drain. If you can get down to the floor to loosen the mounting bolts, and can lift the toilet off the seal, this project may be possible for you to accomplish. Once the toilet is off the floor you will have access to a clog that was just out of reach while going through the toilet with your auger.

If your plunger and closet auger don't get you a satisfying flush, the plumber can help. Give them a call. They have diagnostic methods and tools ready to deal with the situation, not to mention years of experience in these matters. Your local plumbing professional can be a friend indeed, in the case of a seriously clogged toilet.

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