Don’t Panic! What to Do if Your Toilet Overflows - Service Plus in Indianapolis
A hand holding a plunger inside of a toilet bowl

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when your toilet is overflowing, but don’t panic! Here’s what to do (and what not to do) if the water in your toilet bowl keeps rising.

Lift up the fill valve or float

Your first step should be to remove the lid from the toilet water tank. Reach inside the tank and lift up the bottom of the fill valve or float to stop the water from refilling. Be sure to position the float to stay up. This will prevent it from continuing to refill the toilet.

Turn off the water supply

If you can’t stop the water from refilling inside the tank, turn off the water supply near the toilet. There is usually a pipe near the base of the toilet with a valve on it. Turning the valve will stop the water supply from coming into your toilet’s water tank.

Turn off the main water supply

If you can’t find the valve at the base of your toilet or are struggling to turn it, turn off your home’s main water supply. This should be done as a last option.

If your toilet is still overflowing after turning off your home’s water supply, there may be a serious sewerage issue. If this happens, call Service Plus for emergency service.

Clean up and aftercare

If you’ve successfully stopped your toilet from overflowing, now it is time to clean the bathroom. Use a mop to soak up any excess water on the floor and do not use or flush the toilet until it has been serviced.

What NOT to do if your toilet is overflowing

While the following tips may seem like a given, it’s important to keep these in mind when rushing to stop an overflowing toilet:

  1. Do not flush the toilet. This can make the overflow worse.
  2. Do not put any chemicals or objects into the toilet. Trying to unclog the toilet on your own by using foreign objects can cause further damage.
  3. Do not remove any pipes connected to the toilet. Opening the wrong pipe can cause more flooding.

Call an expert plumber in Indianapolis

It’s easy to panic when your toilet is overflowing. Let the expert plumbers at Service Plus help ease your mind. Call us at (317) 434-2627 or schedule online for emergency service!

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