Skip to Content

Solving Toilet Flush Issues: Causes and Fixes

Toilet Flush Issues, There are several vital systems in a home that aid in improving your convenience and comfort, but there are a few things more critical than a Functioning toilet. So when you realize that your bathroom doesn’t flush efficiently due to leftover waste coming back, it can be frustrating even further when visitors drop by.

There are many reasons for ineffective toilet flushing leading to a waste comeback. It is essential to establish the cause before solving the problem. To help you solve the issue, take a look at the in-depth breakdown and possible hackers on how you can fix the case by the end of this article.

Toilet Flushes but Wastes Come Back: Why?

Toilet Flush Issues

The toilet flushes, but the waste comes back but do you know why? Sometimes, the issue is with your bathroom or your sewer pipes. A broken or clogged sewer pipe and scraps have nowhere to pass through via the closest exit. As a result, the waste comes back up through your tub. In this situation, the primary issue is with the toilet. Let’s break it down.

Cast iron pipes

If your home is a traditional model, there are high chances that plumbing was done using cast iron. It is a strong material but prone to rust and corrode over time, hindering your home’s toilet functionality.

Tee Roots

Toilet Flush Issues yard is full of trees, there are chances that the roots have searched for water in the soil. When a pipe cracks, leaking is inevitable, and thus, a tree root can use the opening to reach the source of water and continue to grow, clogging and causing a crack in your pipes.

Pipe used

Terracotta pipes are from ancient times but still are currently used. They are cheap and widely available. However, they are susceptible to leaks and cracks.

A shift in the soil

When it rains heavily, the soil tends to retain water, causing it to swell, and then as it dries up, there is some pressure exerted on the ground resulting in a crack, which causes a pipe to crack, leak or collapse.

Drain cleaners with Sulfuric acid

Most cleaning products contain sulfuric acid, which ruins metals. Using such cleaners worsens the clogging issues.

Grease

Dirt Water containing cooking oil, fats, or grease down your drain pipe leads to clogging your toilet. The lubricant in grease dries while hardening, sticking, and clogging your pipes.

Obstructing objects

Toilet Flush Issues is a common mistake, especially if you have little ones. Check on their toys because it won’t be surprising to get one inside the toilets leading to waste coming back.

Flushable Wipes

Unlike the tissue paper that disintegrates, flushable wipes remain intact inside your sewer pipe, causing your toilet to block. The word “flushable” means your bathroom can flush the wipes but doesn’t insinuate that your sewer pipes can drain them.

A blocked S-trap or P-trap

It usually rises from the ground and entangles into the toilet bowl, as seen from the toilet’s back. Its purpose is to prevent odorous sewer gasses from passing into the house through the toilet bowl.

Although, when it is blocked, it causes a waste return.

Sewer Line Damage

The sewer line is well protected against rain, sleet, snow, and ice because of its location, although it is susceptible to tree roots that might wrap around the piping or further puncture.

The outflow to the septic tank is hindered when the sewer line is pierced or squeezed. As a result, it accumulates dirt and other debris, resulting in drainage issues.

4Ways to Clear a Clogged Toilet

Home remedies

If the problem isn’t complicated, you can use the readily available products in the house to unblock. Here is the checklist:

  • Salt
  • Baking soda
  • Borax
  • Vinegar
  • Cream of tartar
  • Lime juice
  • Dish soap
  • Hot water
  • A wire coat hanger
  • A Plunger

You can purchase the plunger from your local store if you don’t have one. Plungers only clear the clogs near the surface and are ineffective for getting trapped down the sewer pipe.

A Sewer Snake

There are various sewer snakes for different kinds of pipes and clogs. For lines less than 2-inches in diameter, it is recommended that you use a flat tape snake. 

If the clog is more stubborn than usual, use a power snake hooked up to a motor and if you get it uncomfortable, involve a professional plumber.

Hydro-Jetting

Toilet Flush Issues is a sewer pipe cleaning substance only found with plumbers. Hydro-jetting begins by accessing your sewer pipes using a cleanout or toilet removal.

Secondly, shoot water up to 4,000 (pounds per square inch) through your pipes using a self-propelled nozzle clearing away debris, clogs, and even tree roots.

If the solution doesn’t work, the issue is more than a mere clog. It would be a broken sewer pipe that calls for a keen examination.

Fixing a Broken Sewer Pipe

Toilet Flush Issues

There are only two options for a broken sewer pipe, as advised by plumbers:

Traditional trenching- Sewer highly damaged pipes are replaced by digging them up and manually replacing them. The procedure may be invasive, but it is the only solution for failed, disintegrated, or back-pitched pipes.

A sewer line should be sloped down to a city connection to allow gravity to move the sewage. Poor installation of sewer pipes causes a waste return.

Trenchless sewer Repair

It is the replacement of sewer pipes without digging through your home or yard.

A new HDPE (high-density polyethylene) pipe is attached to a winch with a cone-shaped bursting head and pulled through the damaged line, where it breaks apart as the new one takes its place.

Take note: Plumbers cannot use trenchless technology on back-pitched pipes, which clearly shows the original contractors failed to use the proper slope for your sewer line to your city connection. If the pipe has collapsed onto itself, you will have to go the conventional trenching route.

Toilet blocking is one of the common problems nowadays, becoming a significant concern if it brings back waste after flushing. Not only does it cause a massive disturbance, but also wastewater and even more cause infections to your entire family.

The main reason for a waste return is toilet clogging. Having seen various reasons behind clogging, note that blockages can occur in different parts of the toilet, such as the bowl or trap. Examine your bathroom to ensure there are no blockages present and if any, remove the stuck object using a toilet snake or plunger.