There is a level of sheer panic when a toilet becomes blocked and the water creeps higher and nearer the brim of the toilet bowl. Your eyes dart around the room looking for anyway to prevent an overflow from occurring. As you flush and flush, to no avail, you begin to lament to yourself "how did this happen and how could I have prevented it?"

The Reason Toilets Become Blocked

Plumbers around the world agree that the most common cause of a blocked toilet is a foreign object in the flushing system. If you, or a household member, are treating the toilet as a trash bin, then you are placing yourself at high risk for a blockage. It is time to start showing your septic lines some respect and limit what gets flushed.

Even if the flushed item is not large enough to clog a drain, it still does not mean that the toilet is the right disposal method. In fact, the flushing of toxic goods is a major environmental concern in the UK. This is why, the first step to respecting your septic lines is to be aware of what is flushable and what is not. This need not be complicated; the simplest guideline is that if it comes from your body it can be flushed; otherwise, anything other than toilet tissue should go in the trash.

Dealing With a Blockage As the Water Level Rises

The first thing to do is not to panic. Remain calm and resist the urge to flush repeatedly. Once the water level is higher than normal, continual flushing runs the risk of a flood. Instead, assess the situation, make other household members aware that the toilet is out of commission, and take the time to follow these helpful steps:

• Find the main water supply source to the toilet, and turn it off
• Turn off the handle or stop tap under the tank if water starts to overflow
• Lift the toilet’s tank lid and pull the "float ball" upwards
• Locate the main stop tap – this is usually located under a sink or where the service pipe enters your home

Pinpoint the Source of the Problem

After stopping the impending flood, you can now try to locate the source of the problem. If you are uncomfortable dealing with your own plumbing, then this is the time to call in a professional. However, in many situations the problem is simple and easy to fix without requiring a costly plumber visit. If you are comfortable doing so, continue your investigation by following these steps:

• Look around the area of the toilet to see if something could have fallen in
• Bale out excess water
• Use your plunger – position it around the bottom of the bowl and try to pump as many times as you can
• If you have the required skills, use a plumbing snake. Pull out a section of auger pipe, insert the pipe end into the toilet bowl and rotate the drum so it burrows into the system and dislodges the block
• If the problem is not your toilet, but a plugged sewer, call your water company immediately

Remember, if at any point the problem exceeds your do-it-yourself skills, then you should call in an expert. Hiring a professional to care for and maintain your plumbing system cannot only provide peace of mind in the event of a problem; it can also prevent the problems from occurring in the first place.