A customer in the Kentlands area of Gaithersburg called us at 4:32 PM with a backed-up toilet and asked if we could take an emergency call. Six minutes later the visit was booked for that evening, and our plumber augered the toilet, pulled it to clean out the drain, reset it, and had it draining by 7:48 PM.
The problem
On the afternoon of Wednesday, October 28, a customer in the Kentlands area of Gaithersburg called with a backed-up toilet that would not drain, and asked whether we could take an emergency call right away.
What our technician found
In general, when a toilet backs up and won't clear with a plunger, the blockage is usually in the toilet's built-in trap or just past it in the drain below the floor. A toilet auger is made to reach through the trap without scratching the bowl. If that alone doesn't do it, taking the toilet off the floor gives direct access to clean the drain opening.
What we did
- 4:32 PM: The customer called about the backed-up toilet and asked for help right away.
- 4:36 PM: We checked our plumber's schedule for the soonest opening.
- 4:38 PM: We called the customer back and confirmed a visit the same evening, in the 5:30 to 7:30 PM window.
- 5:30 PM: Our plumber arrived, right at the start of the window.
- Ran a toilet auger through the toilet to break up the blockage.
- Removed the toilet from the floor and cleaned out the drain.
- Reset the toilet back in place and flushed it many times to make sure the drain was flowing.
- By 7:48 PM: Job complete, with the toilet draining normally.
The result
About three hours after the first call, the toilet was reset, flushed many times, and draining normally.
Tips for Gaithersburg homeowners
- Flush only toilet paper. Wipes (even ones labeled flushable), paper towels and feminine products are common causes of toilet backups.
- If a few tries with a plunger don't clear it, stop. Repeated flushing on a clogged toilet can overflow the bowl.
- Know where your toilet's shutoff valve is, usually on the wall behind it near the floor. Turning it off stops the tank from refilling while you wait for help.
- A toilet that keeps clogging can point to a problem further down the drain line, not just the toilet.