What to Do if Your Toilet Is Overflowing

12/28/2015

The average toilet is a fairly simple machine, designed to last for many years even under daily use. However, toilets can still manifest all sorts of problems under certain circumstances. Some of these problems, like overflowing, can cause an immense amount of water damage in a very short amount of time. So if you find your toilet overflowing, there are certain steps that you need to take immediately to mitigate the damage. Read on to discover what those steps are.

Turn Off the Water

Water damage is the biggest threat with toilet overflows, so the first thing you should do when one occurs is to shut off the water to the toilet. There should be a valve, either on the wall or the floor next to the toilet, which controls the supply of water to the system. Turn that valve all the way to the right to close it and prevent more water from overflowing. If you can’t find any shutoff valve, you can also open the back of the tank and lift the ballcock or plunger that controls the flow of water into the tank. You’ll have to find some way to prop the part up, otherwise it will simply reset and the flow of water will continue.

Clean Up the Surrounding Area

Once the water has been shut off, you should clear the surrounding area of all rugs or other objects that might get in the way during repairs. That done, mop up the water that has already gotten on the floor to prevent it from seeping deeper into the subfloor and causing more damage. After that, call for a plumber. They’ll have to find and fix the cause of the overflow.

If your toilet is in need of repairs, call Rooter Man. We offer toilet plumbing services of all kinds throughout Albany, NY.