My toilet blocks every few weeks. Is it the toilet?
Usually not. A toilet that blocks again and again is normally reacting to something past the bowl, like a partial obstruction in the drain line or a vent that is not letting air in.
A partial obstruction is anything that narrows the pipe, such as a toy, a build up of wipes or a sagging section. Waste catches on it every time, so the toilet works for a while and then blocks again.
A blocked vent is less obvious. Drains need air behind the water to flow. When the vent on the roof is clogged by leaves or a nest, the toilet flushes weakly, gurgles and leaves waste behind.
Low flow toilets with a poor design can also struggle, but that is the last thing to blame. Buying a new toilet before the line and the vent are checked is an expensive way to keep the same problem.
We check the line and the vent first, then talk about the toilet itself.
Want it looked at?
Count how often it blocks and check whether the tub or sink nearby drains slowly too. Both answers point us at the cause.