Have you noticed a weird gurgling sound when you flush your toilet? If so, you’re probably wondering, “Can a gurgling toilet fix itself?” Keep reading to discover everything you need to know about why your toilet gurgles and how to fix it.
As the most trusted plumbers in Cedar City, Utah, Iron Mountain Plumbing can fix your toilet quickly and with long-lasting results. Don’t waste your time and energy with DIY solutions when we make the process stress-free and affordable.
What Causes a Gurgling Toilet?
To understand why your toilet gurgles, you should first know how it works. When you flush the toilet, the water from the tank floods into the bowl, forcing the wastewater down into the toilet’s trap. This creates negative air pressure that pulls the water further into the pipes.
The water travels to your sewer line, where it combines with the waste from the rest of the neighborhood. As it exits your home, the fumes and exhaust from the sewage exit through the vent pipe that runs from your pipes up through the roof of your home.
A gurgling toilet means you have a blockage somewhere in your plumbing. The sound occurs when the formerly blocked water finally exits your pipes. The clog could reside in any of the following places:
- Your toilet’s P-trap
- A pipe within your home
- Your sewer line
- The vent pipe or stack
Why a Gurgling Toilet Won't Fix Itself
Can a gurgling toilet fix itself? No, it won’t; when you hear gurgling in your toilet, it’s time to call in a professional plumber because the problem won’t resolve without help.
The gurgling might stop for a time, but it always returns because blockages in your pipes don’t dislodge themselves. While many people think removing a clog yourself is the affordable and easy answer, doing so can cause significant problems for your pipes. Depending on the construction material, condition, and the type of clearing method you use, you could cause enough damage to burst your pipe and flood your home. Both the sewage and the drain cleaning chemicals can produce toxic fumes that seriously hurt your health if you handle them improperly.
How To Prevent Clogs in Your Toilet
The best way to deal with a clogged toilet is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Practice these habits to help prevent blocked toilets:
- Avoid flushing non-biodegradable materials down the toilet, such as feminine hygiene products, wet wipes, or kitty litter.
- Consider whether energy-efficient toilets are worth it, because the low flow rate makes them more susceptible to blockages.
- Regularly clean the tank and bowl.
- Schedule an annual inspection with a plumber to verify your pipes, drains, and sewer line are free of potential clogs.
How To Fix a Gurgling Toilet
How do the professionals fix a gurgling toilet? Depending on the severity and location of the clog, they’ll use any of the following methods.
Plunging the Toilet
Plunging the toilet is an easy and affordable way to clear minor blockages that are close to your toilet bowl. A plunger creates negative pressure that forces a surge of air through the pipes and dislodges the clog.
A flange plunger is better for removing toilet clogs, whereas the traditional bell-shaped plunger works better for sinks. The plumber will fill the flange plunger with water to act like a powerful water jet that increases the chances of dislodging the blockage.
Snaking the Toilet
If the clog offers moderate resistance or resides deeper into your pipes, the plumber can use a snake to reach far into the pipes and break down buildup. A snake is a long cable fitted with a screw-like ending. When the snake reaches the blockage, the plumber can twist or jam the snake into it, breaking down the conglomeration into smaller pieces. They can then use a plunger or flush the toilet to expel the clog from the pipes.
Clearing the Vent Stack
A clogged vent stack can cause the gurgling without blocking the flow of water. However, blocked vent pipes are still a problem because the foul sewer exhaust can enter your home and cause severe health problems and disease.
Your plumber can climb onto your roof and examine your vent stack for blockages. The most common causes of clogged vent pipes are nesting animals, leaves, or snow and ice. They can then use their hands or a snake to remove any blockages they find.
If none of those methods work, the plumber can dump hot or pressurized water down the stack to flush the blockage into your drainage system and out of your home.
Auguring the Sewer Line
If they believe the problem is a clog in the sewer line, your plumber can inspect it by entering through the basement or a capped pipe often located outdoors. For sewer line clogs, the plumber most often uses an augur, which is essentially a motorized snake. Able to reach much deeper than a manual snake, the augur uses its mechanical power to grind the blockage into tiny pieces.
Video Inspection
If the plumber can’t locate the clog, they can use a closed-circuit camera attached to a long cable. They thread the cable through the pipe work to determine the location and makeup of the blockage.
Hydrojetting
Hydrojetting uses pressurized water to break down the clog and expel it from your pipes. Hydrojetting can remove even the most stubborn blockages, like tree roots, but doesn’t risk damage to your pipes like an augur does.
Contact Iron Mountain Plumbing for All Your Plumbing Needs
Can a gurgling toilet fix itself? Unfortunately, no, and leaving it alone only leads to more severe clogging. When you hear your toilet gurgling, call Iron Mountain Plumbing immediately so we can prevent further complications.
From a bad toilet flapper to installing a brand new toilet, no job is too small. We approach every appointment with 100% dedication and work hard to leave you satisfied with our long-lasting and effective solutions. To book an appointment, call 435-241-7031.
Author Bio:
Daniel Tanner
Owner / Managing Member. Iron Mountain Plumbing is located in Cedar City, Utah. This organization primarily operates in the Plumbing Contractors business / industry within the Construction – Special Trade Contractors sector.
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