If you flush your toilet and water comes up from your bathtub or shower drain, it usually means there’s a clog or compromised pipe somewhere further down in the plumbing. There are some DIY solutions you can try before calling the plumber, but most of the time, it takes an expert to find the cause of the problem and fix it safely, without damaging your plumbing.
At PDS Plumbing and Air, our plumbers are state licensed and available now, offering expert plumbing services, including:
- Leak detection in Clovis
- Sewer camera inspections in Signal Hill
- Repiping services in Murrieta
- Hydrojetting in Bellflower
- And more
If your toilet’s backing up into the shower or won’t flush, or if you’re experiencing any plumbing issue in our Central and Southern California or Inland Empire service areas, please don’t hesitate to give us a call. We’re available now for emergency plumbing services, or you can schedule an appointment at your convenience.
Why Your Toilet May Back Up into the Tub
Your plumbing system is all connected. Water enters your house from the main supply, is distributed to different rooms for your use, and then flows back out into the sewer system. If your toilet’s backing up into your tub, it indicates a drainage issue that extends beyond the drains of both the tub and toilet, likely in the sewer line.
This causes the water that’s flushed down from the toilet to hit the clog and, because it has nowhere to go, it flows back up along the path of least resistance into your bathtub.
Some reasons sewer lines become clogged include:
- There’s a significant buildup of grease and hair.
- Someone has flushed foreign objects that shouldn’t go in the toilet.
- Tree roots are growing into the pipes.
- There are damaged, cracked, bellied, or crushed sewer pipes.
Signs a Toilet Backup Is More Than a Simple Clog
Some common signs your backup might be an emergency problem rather than a simple clog include:
- The toilet and shower are backing up at the same time, or water is flowing into your sinks when you flush the toilet
- Multiple slow drains in your house
- Strong sewage odor coming from multiple drains in your house
- Gurgling sounds are heard in the pipes or drains
- There are bright green spots of grass, soft spots, or pooling water in your yard
When a Plunger or Snake Might Work
Some clogs happen close to the surface, and you might be able to work them loose with a plunger or a toilet snake (also called an auger). To use a plunger on your toilet:
- Step 1: Make sure you have a plunger with a flange that’s designed for toilets.
- Step 2: If there’s no water in the bowl, add some to create better suction.
- Step 3: Place the rubber end of the plunger over the toilet bowl drain, then lower it at an angle to allow water to enter the plunger. Make sure it covers the entire hole.
- Step 4: Grip the handle with both hands, then push and pull the rubber up and down 5 or 6 times. This motion will create a vacuum that’ll dislodge the clog, and the water will go down the pipe by itself.
If your toilet still won’t flush after plunging, a snake is the other DIY option. Toilet snakes are designed to go down your toilet plumbing without causing damage. To use the snake:
- Step 1: Pull the handle all the way up so the end of the cable is close to the curved end of the rubber tube.
- Step 2: Insert the curved elbow into the toilet drain.
- Step 3: Turn the crank gently, allowing it to slowly push through the pipe, and continue to crank until the handle is tight against the tube in the toilet bowl.
- Step 4: Once you feel the cable hit the blockage, pull the cable back out by rotating the handle and pulling.
- Step 5. Remove the cable and flush the toilet several times.
- Step 6: Repeat the process as many times as necessary.
Plungers and snakes are great tools for shallow clogs that are easy to reach and are caused by debris or foreign objects stuck in the plumbing. If the problem goes deeper, or if you can’t dislodge the clog yourself, it’s time to call a plumber for help.
Why Sewer Line Blockages Require a Plumber
Some of the reasons it’s best to call a plumber for sewer line blockages are:
- DIY repairs can cause more damage than you’d think.
- Raw sewage is dangerous to handle, as it’s filled with bacteria and other health hazards.
- Plumbers have diagnostic tools to help them pinpoint exactly where the problem is and the cause, which allows for faster repairs.
- Professionals have the appropriate tools, from pipe wrenches to hydrojetting equipment, required to do the job right.
- Your home insurance and plumbing warranties may not cover DIY work.
- PDS plumbers know local building codes and rules and will meet all safety regulations.
Professional Solutions for Toilet Backups
If your toilet’s backing up, PDS plumbers will first use a camera inspection to determine the cause of the clog. This will give them a good visual of where the problem is, help them understand what it’s made of, and aid in deciding the best method to fix the issue.
Hydrojetting
If the clog is soap scum, hair, paper towel, hygiene products, or other foreign bodies stuck in the pipe, hydrojetting will help. Hydrojetting is a common drain cleaning method that uses high-pressure streams of water to clear out blockages without damaging the pipes. This type of drain-clearing solution will clean out your pipes and get your toilet flushing properly in no time. Hydrojetting will also help if you have tree roots in your sewer line, as the water can cut through and remove them with ease.
Sewer line repair
If the toilet’s backing up due to a cracked or damaged sewer pipe, the solution may require more intensive measures. In some cases, trenchless sewer line repair is possible, but in others, we may need to do some digging on your property to access and fix the faulty pipes. We’ll provide a full inspection, price quote, and projected timeline to you before doing any work, so you can make an informed decision on what you want to do.
Call PDS for All Your Plumbing Needs
There’s never a good time for a sewer backup. If you need a plumber now, and you’re in Central or Southern California, or the Inland Empire area, please call PDS Plumbing and Air for immediate service. We’re always available to take your call and schedule an inspection or repair.
- Central California: (559) 258-5027
- Southern California: (310) 697-8027
- Inland Empire: (951) 528-2928
Our professional plumbers will use specialized equipment to locate the clog or sewer line issue and fix it for you as quickly as possible, so you’re not stuck with all the bad smells, health hazards, and inconvenience a toilet backup issue causes.
