Why Does My Toilet Overflow When I Take a Shower?

12/20/2018 (Permalink)

Contact a sewage cleaning company in the Norman, OK area

Why Does My Toilet Overflow When I Take a Shower?

If you are a homeowner in Norman, Ok, chances are that, at some point, you may have to deal with having your toilet overflow while you're taking a shower. This happens as the result of a blockage somewhere between your toilet and the sewer. While there are steps you can take on your own, a more severe problem may require professional sewage cleaning. But first, let's take a look at what's happening and what you can try to remedy the problem on your own.

1. The Snake

When you run the shower and the waste water line is clogged, the water is going to come back out in the first place it can, which is the toilet. Before calling a sewage cleaning company, you can try using a snake. This a flexible, thick wire operated either by hand crank or by motor. To reach the blockage and clear the clogged pipe, it needs to be at least 25 feet long.

2. Snake the Toilet

Run the snake straight through the toilet. You may want to remove the toilet first and run the snake directly into the drain in the floor. Once you've run the snake down through the clog, you'll want to check your work by running the shower. If it still overflows, you may need to try the second option.

3. Snake the Drain Cleanout

If snaking the toilet doesn't work, you can try snaking the drain cleanout. Locate the main drain, which is usually found in the basement or a crawlspace. The drain cleanout is a cap on the drain, which you can remove with a wrench. When you have the cap off, run the snake through the pipe. Once again, you'll need to run the shower to see if you've removed the blockage.

4. Call a Professional

If these two methods fail, it's probably time to call a sewage cleaning specialist. Using professional techniques, they can make sure the blockage is eliminated and, hopefully, that you won't have to worry about this unfortunate event ever happening again!