Fast Plumbing Answers: Toilet Keeps Overflowing After Flush?

You’re here because your toilet keeps overflowing after you flush. We understand — watching your toilet water level keep rising and rising is a pretty helpless feeling. So what’s going on? Is it a clogged drain? Is your float level too high?

Don’t worry: we’ll answer all your questions in 2 minutes or less.

We’re Mother, a Dallas-Fort Worth plumbing company that provides dependable, hassle-free modern plumbing for homeowners who value quality. If you ever need us, we’re here to provide you long-term plumbing solutions that last. 

If there's an active sewage backup emergency in your Dallas home, call Mother 24/7 for rapid dispatch and priority scheduling.

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Why Your Toilet Overflows After You Flush: The Fast Answer

There are 3 general reasons why your toilet keeps overflowing after you flush. But the most common cause is a clogged drain, caused by too much toilet paper and too many non-flushable items going down your toilet. 

Did someone use too much toilet paper recently? Have you been flushing feminine hygiene products or toilet seat covers? Did one of your kids flush paper towels or a toy by accident? These items are likely stuck in your toilet’s drain pipe.

Bad news: it’s going to be hard to clear a major clog with DIY solutions. Good news: you’re probably not dealing with a leak or blocked sewer line, and the fix won’t be expensive.

Is your toilet overflowing right now? Follow our 5-step guide on what to do in the first 10 minutes.

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2 less likely causes for your overflowing toilet post-flush

If you’re certain there isn’t a clog in your toilet’s branch drain line (its dedicated drain pipe), you may be dealing with one of these less likely culprits:

1. Your float level is too high. There’s a float inside your toilet tank that tells your fill valve when to stop adding water. If you set your float height too high, your tank overfills — and that extra water ends up in your toilet bowl. Make sure your float height is about 1 inch below the top of your overflow tube.
2. Blocked vent pipe. Your toilet’s branch drain line has a dedicated vent pipe that allows air into the pipe. This allows proper wastewater flow and stops vacuums from forming in your pipe. If leaves or debris block the vent pipe, improper flushing may occur. 

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Multiple Slow Drains Around Your House? It May Be Your Sewer Line

If your toilet is overflowing every time you flush, and you have slow drains throughout your house, there may be a greater issue deeper in your home’s sewer line.

Pervasive slow drains, overflowing toilets and wastewater backup in your house indicate a blockage in your main sewer line. If left unchecked, they can lead to sewer leaks that costs thousands to repair — call your plumber immediately if you notice slow drainage or gurgling drains in multiple areas of your home. 

More Fast Plumbing Answers About Drain Clogs

Bathtub and toilet clogged at the same time?

Drain not working (even after plunging and Drano)?

Bathroom smells like sewage?

Toilet always clogging?

You Found the Issue. Here’s What to Do Next

Nobody wants toilet water on their bathroom floor. Even if it’s “fresh water” after you flush, there’s still plenty of opportunity for bacteria, wastewater and sewage to contaminate the area around your toilet base.

If your toilet overflows once, you can attempt to DIY the clog. We recommend using a non-toxic enzyme drain cleaner like Endure, which we’ve rated the best drain cleaner for long-term organic clog removal.

If this is a recurring issue, you’ll need to call a plumber — look for a plumbing service with experience clearing clogged branch drain lines in bathrooms.

The silver lining: You caught the problem before it became a persistent sewer line clog. That means you’ve saved thousands of dollars — drain cleaning service costs a few hundred bucks, but sewer line repair costs a minimum of $3,000-$8,000.

If you live in the DFW Metroplex, give Mother a call. We offer $299 drain cleaning service with a complimentary video camera inspection and free bottle of Endure, which we rated the best drain cleaner for organic clogs.