Your home’s plumbing works correctly 99% of the time, but the one time it doesn’t can be majorly embarrassing. The toilet is a very personal appliance, so no one wants to admit when it suddenly won’t flush. Unfortunately, avoiding the problem isn’t going to help anything, but you may not necessarily need to come clean about an unclean toilet. If you find yourself with the water shut off and a need to flush, read on!
Take Comfort In Your Remaining Flush
The good thing about modern toilets is they fill themselves after each flush. The tank behind the toilet seat holds water for the next flush, while the water in the bowl helps push waste material out when flushing. A standard toilet during the day-to-day will have water both in the bowl and in the tank. When you flush, the water from the tank runs down to the bowl and pushes the previous water and waste material out the bottom. The good news here is, even if the water unexpectedly shuts off in your home, the toilet still has one remaining flush because of the water in the tank.
Fill The Tank Up
If you know you’re going to have your water shut off because of maintenance or an emergency, take some time to fill up the bathtub first. Having an ample supply of clean water will help you flush the toilet when the water is off. All you need to do is take a large jug or vessel, fill it with bathtub water, and pour that water into the toilet tank. After passing the flow line, you’re good to flush!
Gravity Flush, If You Must
Toilets work off of gravity. Usually, when you push the lever, water will flow from the tank to the bowl and down the bottom. All of this is done via gravity, with no external force needed. Should you find yourself in a real pinch with the water off and a flush necessary, take a large quantity of water in a pitcher or bucket. Dump the water very quickly into the bowl; it should force everything down the bottom. This method should only be used in extreme cases where urgency is essential, or the tank is broken. It can be messy if not done correctly!
Fortunately, water being shut off doesn’t mean you’re stuck with a dirty toilet until it’s fixed. The above hacks will help you keep your bathroom pristine during hard times, but it’s important to remember these are only for emergencies. If you find yourself needing to use these tips regularly, give us a call! Sin City Plumbing is always happy to get to the root of an issue.
Contact Sin City Plumbing today to learn more!
