While minor toilet clogs can be fixed with a plunger, serious incidents may need professional toilet repairs. However, preventing issues from happening in the first place will protect your fixtures and help you avoid inconvenient situations. Understanding the common causes of toilet blockages will help you enjoy functioning toilets and avoid repairs.

What Causes Toilet Clogs?

1. Foreign Materials

The only items that should go in the toilet are human waste and toilet paper. Other products such as paper towels don't dissolve well and can cling together. Cotton products such as swabs, wipes, diapers, and menstrual supplies are absorbent and expand in water, resulting in tough blockages. 

Kitty litter is also absorbent and shouldn’t go in the toilet, even if it says it’s flushable. Hair and floss can get caught inside pipes and tangle other debris, forming large clogs over time. Put all of these items in the trash instead of flushing them.

2. Too Little Water

The water running through the toilet helps push solids through the pipes and keeps them from getting stuck. If there isn’t enough water, materials can get jammed in the pipes, especially at low points and around bends. 

A toilet may not use enough water due to poor design, so you may need a replacement if you experience recurring issues. However, if minimal water is a new problem, there may be an issue with the water supply line or the flapper inside the toilet tank. A plumber can provide toilet repairs to ensure the fixture receives enough liquid to work properly.

3. Hard Water

Water is considered hard when it contains high amounts of calcium and magnesium. Over time, hard water leaves deposits of these minerals inside the plumbing, including the toilet itself and the pipes connected to it. This narrows the tubes and makes it harder for solids to pass through. 

It also makes pipes rougher, and debris is more likely to catch and build up on the sides over time. There are plumbing and toilet repair options for removing mineral scale, and a plumber can also install a water softener in your home to reduce the mineral content of your water and slow the growth of scale.

If you need toilet repairs to fix and prevent clogs, choose Joe Klosterman Plumbing in Hooven, OH. Serving Hamilton County, this family-owned and -operated business has helped residents maintain their plumbing since 1983. They'll remove significant clogs and repair your shower's, sink's, and tub's drains. To schedule a visit, call (513) 941-6766 or visit their website.