How to Handle Water Damage from a Backed up Toilet?

Whether it’s the tank malfunction or a clog in the bowl, the damage from a backed up toilet can be massive. Do you know that 15% of causes of home water damage is a toilet overflow?

The very first thing that you would want is to stop the flow of water. After then, you can continue removing and cleaning the waste. Also, experts recommend not using any plumbing until the cause of backed-up toilet is identified.

There are various steps that you can take to handle water damage from a backed-up toilet and assess the source of the problem.

Tips to Handle Water Damage from Clogged Toilet:

1. Turn Off The Water:

The primary thing that requires your attention is flowing water. Stop the flow of water from the water supply line. You can find the water valve below the water tank. After overflowing stops, allow the toilet bowl to drain thoroughly.

Still, if the water continues to overflow, the problem may be backup from either the main sewer line or drain pipe.

Recommended Read: How Long Does it Take to Dry Water Damage?

2. Use the Plunger to Deal with the Clog:

The toilet clogs mostly happen in the toilet bowl or trap. Plungers are the lifesavers for resolving the blocked clogs. Let the plunger move up and down; this creates pressure, thus forcing the clog out of the blow into your drain pipes through the trap.

If the water does not stop overflowing, don’t consider plunging. It may make the complete process messier.

Expert Tip: Avoid using a basic plunger. It may not form a sufficient seal to produce the required pressure. Consider using a bell plunger. It creates a more reliable seal with the toilet drain. Applying a layer of petroleum jelly to the plunger may work wonders for seal.

Remember a plunger can clear a clogged drain pipe or toilet bowl but it cannot fix the other overflowing issues in your toilet.

3. Use a Drain Snake or Toilet Auger:

If you are unable to handle the overflowing water with a plunger, consider trying toilet auger or drain snake. Both of them work closely. Toilet augers are designed specifically to crawl through your drain pipes and snag the clog. It works with the shape of the toilet and the s-shaped trap.

Remember: In some of the cases, the auger may break the clog sufficient enough to flow away from the toilet towards the sewers.

4. Remove Standing Water and Waste

It is always advisable to act fast. The longer the water will sit on the washroom floor, the more damage it will cause. It may get inside the cabinets and can be absorbed into the walls, thus letting the bacteria to grow.

Consider using a dry/wet vacuum to suck up the standing water and waste. You can even use towels and blankets to soak in the water and clean them afterward.

If you are unable to handle it all alone, get in touch with water damage restoration experts and seek their help.

5. Dry Out Affected Walls and Cabinets

Once the waste and water is removed, make sure to use high-powered fans and air movers to dry out the damaged material from the backed up toilet. You can rent the air movers from the nearby local shop. Regular fans may not completely dry the water and can even leave the mold and bacteria behind.

It is always recommended to call the water restoration company since they can do the work more efficiently and quickly.

Recommended Read: How To Check For Mold In Walls?

Summing Up

It is vital for you to recognize the amount of damage caused and whether you can handle it all alone or not. Because a delay in taking professional help may cause you thousands of dollars!

Need Help With Overflowing Toilet? DryEffect can be your savior. Contact our water restoration professionals and get a free quote now!