What To Do If Your Toilet Overflows

At some point in your life you’ve probably had to grab your trusty old plunger and clear up a small toilet clog. Almost all of us have had a run in with a clogged toilet. While a clogged toilet is definitely annoying, its usually an easy fix with no resulting problems. Unfortunately, some of us have had to deal with a much worse toilet problem- a leaking or overflowing toilet. Toilet problems can start small and end up as big problems. A small crack in your toilet bowl can eventually turn into a large crack, leaving you with a leaking, overflowing toilet.

Today we’re going to talk about a few easy steps so that you’ll know what to do if your toilet overflows.

Turn off the water! This is the first step and perhaps the most important! Turning off the water source to the toilet immediately can prevent any further leakage which may help to prevent some damage. Usually you don’t need to turn off the water source to the whole house. There is a shut off valve specifically for the toilet just behind the toilet or near the base. If you can’t find this valve, you should shut off the water supply to the whole house.
Call a plumber! This is the next most important step. Unless you are a licensed, professional plumber, an overflowing toilet should not become your next DIY project. Contacting a professional plumber as quickly as possible is important. The longer your toilet problem is allowed to continue, the more damage you could have.
Move any nearby objects! Water damage is no joke- a small amount of water can create major damage. If you’ve got any furniture, household objects, or wall hangings nearby, you should move them away to keep them safe.
Clean up! Although the problem may not be completely fixed yet, if you’ve already shut off the water source to the toilet its safe to go ahead and clean up any water. Cleaning up standing water that has spilled from the toilet can help prevent more damage from occurring. It also helps keep the area safe for you and your plumber.

Now you know a little bit about what to do if your toilet overflows! If your toilet is leaking or overflowing and you’re in the metro Atlanta area, make sure to call the trusted professionals at Materflo Plumbing today at (678) 822-7095!