If you’ve ever come face to face with a clogged toilet, you know it can be pretty tense. Watching that water rise quickly and knowing you only have a few minutes or even seconds to react can be extremely stressful. The last thing you want is for the contents of that bowl to overflow onto your floor! If you want to be prepared to come out the winner in this showdown, use these tips to learn how to plunge like a plumber.
You might not realize there are actually two types of plungers:
There’s no use having a plunger if you keep it in the basement or garage. Each bathroom should be equipped with a black plunger to handle clogs quickly to avoid overflows.
As soon as you see that water rising after a flush, you have to act fast. Quickly remove the tank lid and lift the ball float or fill valve. When you do this, you should see the water in the tank stop filling immediately. Next, remove the water line from the overflow tube, or push down on the flapper valve to stop the water in the tank from entering the toilet bowl.
On the wall behind the tank, you will see a valve for the water source. Turn the valve to the right (tighty righty) to turn off the water so there is no chance more water can enter the bowl.
Now that the water is under control, you can get down to the real work. Place the plunger into the toilet bowl, making sure you get a good seal around the toilet drain. This will help ensure you have enough force to dislodge the clog in the u-trap. Holding the plunger with both hands using a rapid up and down motion keeping the seal in place to apply pressure. Soft clogs should release quite quickly while some clogs might be more stubborn and require several plunges.
It is not uncommon for clogs to allow the water to drain but keep some of the solid debris in the bowl. Don’t try to plunge a dry bowl, as not only could this cause a disastrous mess, but also you won’t be able to get a good seal and enough pressure to release the clog. If this is the case, you can turn the water valve back on, turning it to the left. Allow enough water to fill the bowl so you can begin plunging.
There are two possible reasons you aren’t able to remove a clog with the plunger:
If you are unable to dislodge the clog with your plunger, it’s time to call Bell Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical. We have the tools to assess the situation and take proper steps to fix the problem.
Professionals will use a tool called an auger or “snake” to try to clear the obstruction. The flexible tool can reach down into the pipes safely and force the blockage out of the way. This can be a messy job but can work quite well as the wire can reach as far as 25 feet into the pipes. If this doesn’t work, chances are the clog is further down in the main sewer.
If you have a toilet clog in Denver, CO you can’t remove with a plunger, speak to the experts at Bell Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical today.
We’re ready to answer your questions or schedule your appointment, call now or book online!
Dylan was very professional, thorough, and courteous. He double checked everything to make sure our leak was stopped. Suggested getting upgrades to prevent any further issues. Let us know that Bell Plumbing also does remodel work if we decide to go that route. He cleaned up... Read more
Difficult to reach someone by phone to schedule an evaluation. Requires at least 2 phone calls and takes several minutes. If you aren’t available to answer your phone when they call back, you have to start the procedure all over again. The technician (Chris) was knowledgeable... Read more
Ben was great!! He was thoughtful in listening to are issue with our furnace and corrected the problem with little or no time wasted. He also was a very kind and relatable in explaining the issues and what he did to correct the problem and for that we are thankful to him as... Read more
We had a leak in our 1980’s bathroom that was getting worse by the day. Dylan showed up on time, quickly diagnosed the issue, and had it fixed in no time. He was super professional and respectful of our home. The pricing was fair and transparent, and he explained everything... Read more
Bell Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, & Electrical is incredible, especially the electrical team. Huge thanks to Jeremiah, Trey, Nick, and Micah, who exceeded all expectations! They completed a large project, including a new main panel, and it's a work of art - the overhead... Read more
I recently had the pleasure of working with David Agosto from Bell for some plumbing issues at my home, and I couldn’t be more impressed with his work. David arrived on time, was extremely professional, and took the time to thoroughly assess the situation. He explained the... Read more
We have used Bell Plumbing throughout the twenty years we have owned our home. From bathroom updates to a complete re-piping of our water lines Bell has always been professional. They recently replaced our furnace and within the first year it had some issues. The technician... Read more
Joined Bell membership a few months ago. Hugh did a great job adding an adjustable wire cover at the electrical panel to help prevent the wires from exposing in an event of ground settling.
This time we gave Bell a call for furnace service. Mike McGowan showed up next day and... Read more
Bell Plumbing and Dylan were great to work with. Prompt, efficient, thorough, and very nice. Dylan identified a couple of code issues that two other companies had missed and explained everything in detail before and after work. I actually felt like I knew something about... Read more
I can’t express enough how much I appreciate the work that Chris completed for a boiler repair. He answered several questions and ensured the repair approach was correct and then far exceeded my expectations. The boiler is working exceptionally well and my customers are very... Read more
Jordan was efficient and executed the repair quickly. His assessment and feedback helped me to know what the scope of the issue was and how the task would be completed. Jordan then went about completing the repair and notified me when he was finished. I appreciate the... Read more
Bell has been awesome to work with. Levi helped us out of an emergency plumbing situation. He thoroughly explained what was needed and followed up the next week for a complimentary camera inspection of the sewer line issue. Fair price. Great people.
Jeremiah was awesome. He explained everything to us in a way we could understand. Very professional and cared about his work and how we were treated. I would highly recommend him and if I need an Electrician again, I know I will ask for him. A great asset to your company.
Jeremiah replaced the electrical panel on our home recently. We have complete confidence in the workmanship, and he was a pleasure to work with. Earlier in the year Bell replaced our water heater, and that was a great experience as well. Everyone we have interacted with at Bell... Read more
Tech arrived on time . Called before for his timeline . Very professional. Clean attire. Respectfull, of me and my house . Got the job done quickly . Explained the procedure to fix the problem. Very clean didn’t make a mess .. highly recommend this tech and Bell plumbing . ... Read more
We had several Electric Vehicle charger installation bids from other companies and Bell Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, & Electrical worked with us to match the lowest cost bid, as well as installed the EV charger in our home about a month sooner than the other company.
We... Read more
Nick at Bell came to check hot water heaters which were old and needed replacing. Very quick on response/appointment and installed new ones same day. Very professional and Good communication throughout job. Very happy with results
I had 2 (unrelated) issues over the past week: a bathroom faucet/handle dripping/not working properly and a leak under the K sink. The technicians (Alex and Thomas) were both professional, knowledgeable and thorough and fixed both issues. The Bell process is very efficient: a... Read more
I used Bell for a clogged drain. Very professional from beginning to end. The person taking the appointment was thorough, communicating what to expect. The dispatcher provided the appointment details and communicated that a tecnician was available early. The technician (Levi)... Read more
Dan was beyond helpful and knowledgeable! He fixed our problem quickly and even better than it was before the issues began. The best part, though, is that Dan gave us three different options, and the least expensive option ended up working great AND ended up costing less than... Read more
These guys did a great job with a last-minute toilet clog. I really appreciated the demeanor and professional manner of the young man who worked to solve our problem efficiently and with clear explanation. The price was good with the coupon and I would recommend to anyone.
What a great experience! New to the area and picked them based off of their reviews. Exceeded my expectations. Very thorough and professional from start to finish! Troy, the electrician, was so great! Macy who scheduled me was also a stand out. Will be using them for everything... Read more
If anyone is looking to get their furnace fixed or serviced then I would recommend Bell plumbing and heating company. These folks were able to fit me in when they had a full schedule. The technician Cameron White was on time and very professional. These folks definitely have a... Read more
I used Bell's electrical service for the first time today. The service was great. Jeremiah did an outstanding job. He took time to troubleshoot and explained my options. After finishing the repairs Jeremiah took the time to explain how to install and which BR30 recessed light... Read more
