How to Fix Toilet Backing Up Into Tub

What Does it Mean to Back Up?

Backing up means that instead of the water or waste flowing through the pipes to the sewer line, it either goes back to the original place, the toilet or finds an alternate route say to the bathtub or sink. The drains where the wastewater was to be transported are obstructed causing the water to go backward instead of towards the sewage line.

Other Signs That Your Sewer Line May Be Blocked.

• Slow and low.

If you notice that water drains slowly from your drains, you may be witnessing a warning sign of a sewer line problem. Usually, the lowest drains in the house are the first affected; a drain on the floor will usually show symptoms before a drain in a sink.

• Gurgling drains. 

A percolating noise coming from your toilet or any drain in your home could indicate that your sewer line is becoming blocked.

• Common clogs.

Toilets or household drains clogging frequently can be a sign that there’s something beginning to obstruct your sewer line.

• Waterlogged sewer cleanout. 

Some homes have a pipe that extends to the exterior of the house so that plumbers can more easily clear out blockages. Drained wastewater around the sewer cleanout is an early sign of a clog.

So, what could possibly be obstructing your sewer line, you ask? Well, there are five common things that are usually the cause. Here’s a list of the five most likely things that could be responsible for stopping up your line:

Common Causes of Sewer Backups

• Clogged or Blocked Sewer Pipes,

The most common type of sewer backup is due to clogged pipes. Sewer clogs are easily preventable with proper care and maintenance. If a backup is affecting more than one toilet or sink, it could be a sign of an issue with the main sewer line that would require the use of a plunger or drain cleaner.

Use drains properly. Here are some quick tips:

Avoid pouring fats, oils, coffee grounds, rice, pasta, and other solids down your kitchen drain. When the grease cools down it solidifies in the pipes which creates blockages in the pipes. 

Do not use the toilet as a trash bin. Items such as feminine products, “flushable” wipes, diapers, paper towels, and facial tissues will all create backups in the pipes. Only flush toilet paper. If it does not dissolve almost instantly in water, do NOT flush it.

• Old or Damaged Sewer Pipes.

Sewer backups could be due to damaged, broken, or collapsed sewer lines. Sewer pipes are usually made of clay, Orangeburg, PVC, or cast iron. While these materials are durable, it’s inevitable for sewer pipes to deteriorate and eventually collapse as they age. Any one of these problems will lead to big issues for a home or building’s sewer line.

Get a sewer line inspection to check the condition of your sewer system every five years. The professional plumber will look for signs of damage, cracks, and clogs. 

• Tree Roots in Sewer Pipes.

Even though you may not have a tree on your property or near your sewer line, tree roots can travel far and grow into the cracks of the sewer lines. Tree and shrub roots cause damage, holes, and blockages as they flourish. 

How to get rid of tree roots: Contact a sewer line professional for a sewer camera inspection. This is a non-destructive procedure that will easily find the exact location and extent of the problem. The sewer line professional will then be able to get rid of the problem by cutting the roots and repairing or replacing the pipe.

• Sewer-Sanitary or Municipal Sewer Blockage. 

These issues are usually detected and treated before they become a problem, however, a sewer main blockage could impact residential and commercial sewer lines in the area. When a blockage in the municipal sewer is not detected immediately, wastewater can back up into floor drains. 

Fixes for Water Backup.

• Mild Blockage

The toilet is the first water outlet to experience clogs in the house. More often than not, if the drain in the house is obstructed, it will also be the first to show, for example, you may notice a high water level in the toilet bowl or overflowing water when you flush.

If this is the case for you, you can do the usual toilet unclogging techniques such as plunging, using a toilet auger or snake, plus other methods. If you choose to use a plunger, use the closet/ flange plunger because it will exert more suction to the toilet clearing and clogs.

The snake will also do a great job of reaching deep into the drainpipe to remove any waste.

If both these solutions don’t help, you may be experiencing a clog in the main sewer line.

• Sewer Line Blockage

This is a more severe type of clog that means you’re probably going to need a plumber to fix it up, but before you jump on the call. Check for these classic signs of a blocked sewer line.

1. The wastewater may drain, but slowly.
2. The clog is affecting all the other water outlets such as sinks, tub, and the shower.
3. Water backing up from the toilet to the other outlets (tub and sink) every time.
4. Toilet bubble and gurgles which you can also hear in the bathroom sink and shower.
5. The toilet overflows or all your toilets don’t seem to work

Now that you have confirmed that you indeed have a blocked sewer line. You ought to fix it as soon as possible.

Solutions

There are two ways you can fix the drain. They both involve cleaning the main sewer drain;

1. Chemical cleaning
2. Mechanical cleaning

• Chemical Drain Cleaning

Chemicals act as enzyme-based drain cleaners that will get rid of any form of clog by degrading the waste faster than it originally would. You will need to use different types of chemicals to clear the clog. Here’s a step-by-step guide;

1. Purchase a chemical drain cleaner such as copper sulfate, which is highly recommended by professional plumbers as it can dissolve even tree roots.

2. Measure about a cup of the chemical and pour it into the toilet bowl.

3. Flush it down the toilet and let it stay for about 30 to 40 minutes.

4. Repeat the process as it needs to be done at least three times to clear the clog.

Even though copper sulfate is a recommended cleaner, it’s not very safe for the sewer as it may cause reactions with the pipes, especially if you don’t know the type of pipes your building has; plastic, iron, or otherwise. Moreover, this chemical is prohibited in some municipalities.

Alternative chemical solutions that could also dissolve water, such as roots, include chemical foams with herbicide dichlobenil. The foam works in just a few hours to clean the complete sewage system. Furthermore, it can be used to clean up the pipe scale that’s also known to cause mild blockages. Pipe scale is a mineral layer usually composed of calcium or magnesium that occurs naturally in our water.

The scale can form on any surface that meets water, including your pipes. So it can easily build up and cause a blockage in your sewer line.

• Mechanical Drain Cleaning

Your last resort is the use of mechanical drain cleaning, which is done by pro plumbers who use specialized tools to get into the drain. They will have a mechanical drill, bigger than the ordinary snake, inserted in the drain. They could work from the outside to unclog the sewer line.

What happens is that they will insert the specially designed truck-mounted flexible cable in the drain, and it’s fed continuously until they get to the clog. The auger will then move around to break apart the clog, and the work is done.

The second tool they can use is a high-pressure water jet blown into the pipes. The pressure is high enough to remove dirt and debris down there without any worries. Again, this method is best done by proceeding as they better understand how to use these mechanical tools.

• Vent Clean-up

Sometimes the vent pipe doesn’t have a clear pathway for air to pass freely. It may be blocked by tree branches, leaves, and other debris that go straight to close up the sewer line. In this case, you have to get up to your roof and clear up the vent pipe to allow for a clear path.

How to Prevent a Sewer Backup Again.

• Regularly check the vent openings on your roof and clear out any dirt you may find. Avoid accumulation of dirt such as trees, leaves, and other debris as insufficient ventilation is a major cause of the blockage.
• Invest in drain cleaners which you can use to clear any blockage in the drain before it becomes worse. You can also add the cleaner to your toilets, bathrooms, and sink outlets simultaneously to clear the path to the sewer line. Just don’t go. For harsh chemicals could easily damage the pipes without having done any good.
• Check that you’re only flushing down biodegradable waste such as tissue paper. Anything else could easily cause blockage, and accumulation could happen faster than you know (in a matter of hours). This means avoiding disposing of wet wipes, tampons, and other sanitary items.
• Avoid pouring fatty waste such as grease in the drain, as well as it will harden once cooked down, causing a block again.
• Avoid disposing of hair in the drain as well. They too, can accumulate in the drain causing a blockage.