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Blocked Toilets

Emergency Blocked Toilet Cleaning Available Sydney Wide

More than a nuisance, a blocked toilet can be detrimental to your everyday operations, whether it’s at home or at a commercial premise. That’s why G.F. James Plumbing are available 24/7 to take your emergency plumbing calls and offer same day service to get to the site of your blocked toilet or drain. Call us now to describe your plumbing problem to one of our technicians and we’ll be able to walk you through temporary measures to deal with your emergency and quote you over the phone. If you suspect your toilet may be blocked, don’t keep flushing, this will only make problems worse and possibly cause your toilet to overflow.

 

What causes a blocked drain?

Broken pipes: Did you know deteriorating, corroding or broken pipes can cause the congestion of waste material and debris in your toilet piping? Often resulting in recurring and bothersome stoppages, we’d recommend a thorough cleaning and inspection of your pipes in order to locate the exact site of the problem. Using trenchless pipe repair technology called pipe relining we’re able to fortify your pipes by reconstructing the interior using an epoxy resin. Affordable, practical and never a hindrance to your day, pipe relining will ensure blocked toilets are a thing of the past.

 

Tree roots: Probably one of the most common causes of blocked drains are insidious tree root blockages. Often resulting in broken pipes, even once flushed and cleared away tree roots can continue to regrow into the cracks of your plumbing pipes every three months. If functional plumbing is a necessity for you (let’s be honest, it is for most of us) and you want to avoid a plumbing emergency in your home or office in the future, trench less pipe relining is going to be the best way to defend your pipes against further problems. By using a combination of CCTV pipe inspection and electric eel or high-pressure jet blasting technology we’ll be able to locate and clear any tree roots quickly and without damage to your property. We’ll follow this up with pipe relining, an inflatable epoxy resin that immediately makes your pipes perforation free with a guaranteed lifetime of 40 years.

 

Sewer obstructions: Baby wipes, nappies, ultra-plush toilet paper and sanitary items are likely culprits when it comes to a blocked toilet. Rogue deodorising cages, children’s toys and a whole collection of weird artefacts can be found clogging domestic sewer pipes.

 

What should I do if I have a blocked toilet drain?

Firstly, stop flushing. One of the worst things you can do when you suspect you have a blocked drain is to keep on flushing your toilet hoping it will unblock. Unfortunately, doing this is highly likely to cause your toilet to overflow resulting in a mess that is both bothersome, unhygienic and possibly damaging to your property. We recommend you always call your local emergency plumber in order to get professional advice and to have your plumbing problems dealt with a timely and sanitary manner.

 

Dealing with a minor blockage: a step-by-step guid to plunging a blocked toilet

 

What you’ll need:

  • Plunger

  • Rubber gloves

  • Bucket

  • Old newspaper

  • Wire coat hanger

 

Plunging your toilet:

  1. Put on your rubber gloves and place toilet paper around the base of your toilet.

  2. Using an old ice cream bucket or other vessel move some of the excess water in your bowl into a bucket.

  3. Place the plunger inside your toilet and firmly press down. Lift up slowly, maintaining pressure. Do this until you feel the water begin to flow down the pipes. It takes about 10 of these plunges to help get the water flowing.

  4. Once done, thoroughly clean your toilet plunger. Boiling water will help kill any bacteria before you place it back in storage.

 

Should I use chemical cleaners on my blocked toilet drains?

We always recommend a plunger over chemical toilet cleaners. A chemical toilet clog remover when poured into your toilet bowl releases toxic fumes. These can be particularly bad for asthmatics, but even those with no prior history of respiratory problems may encounter shortness of breath, headaches and nausea. They should always be kept well away from children as many can cause death if ingested.

If you decide to try a chemical toilet cleaner, always ensure that the room is well ventilated. Open the windows and doors, and use the exhaust fan if you have one. An Environmental Working Group study in 2012 found that some of our most popular toilet cleaners contained harmful carcinogens like formaldehyde and chloroform.

We also recommend you wear protective clothing. This includes gloves, eye protection and a respiratory mask. Chemical burns are dangerous and should be dealt with as a medical emergency.

Ultimately chemical drain cleaners are often ineffective in removing your toilet blockage whilst posing both a risk to you and the environment. We recommend that any minor blockage that can’t be cleared by using a plunger be inspected by a licensed plumber.

What if my toilet continually becomes blocked?

Whilst plunging a toilet can be very effective for minor blockages anything bigger will require a licensed plumber. If your toilet regularly clogs, you may have damaged pipes or tree root intrusions. Don’t worry, though. Plumbing has advanced a lot over the last few years and by using CCTV technology and high-pressure jet blasting we can clear your pipes  without causing any damage to your home or business. Here at G.F. James Plumbing we use trenchless pipe relining, a safe, quick and effective way to rebuild the structural integrity of your pipes. By saving on time and removing the need for burdensome digs or excavations, pipe relining can save you money while keeping your plumbing blockage and damage free.