What To Do After a Toilet Overflow?

11/5/2022 (Permalink)

Toilet overflows can happen to anyone, but you can prevent them.

How Should a Toilet Overflow Be Handled?

If your toilet overflows, it can be a very unpleasant scenario. It’s important to understand what caused the overflow and what you need to do to fix it. In many cases, there will be no damage and you can just wait for the water to recede and then clean up any mess that was made by the overflow. However, if there is damage or if your home had flooded due to an overflowing toilet it is best to contact a professional right away so they can assess the situation and make recommendations for how best to proceed with repairs.

Turn Off the Water Supply

Turning off this valve won't necessarily stop all of the water right away; depending on how many toilets have overflowed, some may continue flowing out of their bowls until they're empty enough that gravity can take care of things. Remember, if any part of your house has flooded—and even if it hasn't—that means there's enough standing water for bacteria and mold growth. Make sure everyone knows where these shutoff valves are located just in case something else happens!

Remove Excess Water

If you have a wet/dry vacuum, this can be an excellent tool to remove excess water from your floor. If you do not have one, use a shop vac or mop in place of the wet/dry vacuum. For the shop vac method, simply use the hose attachment and suck up any standing water on your flooring. Make sure to rinse off this attachment when finished so that no residual grime remains on it—this can be done by using warm water and soap with some soft scrubbing.

What Can You Do If Your Toilet Overflows?

If you don't want to deal with the mess yourself, or if the damage is too extensive for you to handle on your own, call a professional. Here are some of the services that may be able to help:

Plumbers. These professionals specialize in drain cleaning and repair, and they can unclog any clogged drains in your home—including those caused by overflowing toilets.

Restoration companies. Restoration companies have equipment specialized for sewer clean-ups and repairs, so they're equipped to handle even large overflows that go all the way down into sewer lines and beyond! They will pump out any standing water left behind by an overflow situation then disinfect everything so there's no risk of disease spreading throughout your home or office building.

Toilet overflows can happen to anyone, but you can prevent them by keeping your plumbing in good working order. If you have a toilet overflow, it’s important to act quickly and call a professional so they can fix the problem before it becomes worse. Our SERVPRO of Edmond team can assist you with all your water and sewage damage cleanup and restoration needs. If disaster strikes, don’t hesitate and give our SERVPRO team a call today!