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What Happens After You Flush?

What happens when you flush your toilet? Fixed Today Plumbing explains how your toilet works, what happens when you flush and everything else you might find interesting about toilets.

You don’t notice how your toilet system works when using it. Since people use their toiletson average between 4 and 10 times per day, it is one of the things on your property that you expect to work.

Flush

Your toilet system has many components and works to free you and your household from disease and a toxic environment.

If you can smell a foul odour or your toilet seems blocked, it is crucial to unclog your drain using various DIY methods or contact your local plumber. Without a fully functioning toilet, your human waste and things like toilet paper will have nowhere to go. This is a breeding ground for bacteria that can cause illness. The toilet flushing process works with your big sewer pipes and when treating sewage pipes.

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How Does My Toilet Work?

The main parts of a toilet are:

  • Flush handle or button
  • Cistern (tank)
  • Bowel
  • Lid

The cistern has internal parts, such as,

  • Float ball
  • Float rod
  • Inlet valve
  • Inlet tube
  • Piston
  • Siphon
  • Flush handle or button

Your toilet system gets its power from gravity and pressure. When you press the flush button or handle, the connected piston is pulled up, allowing a small amount of water through the siphon.

The cistern’s rim has holes that release water when you flush. The pressure and gravity send the water and waste down the pipes and past an S Trap.

This goes down from the main drain to the sewer drain. The cistern empties and takes the float ball down, activating the float rod. This opens the piston and refills the cistern with water to the correct level.

Where Does Stuff Go After You Flush It?

Once you press the flush handle or button, the water and waste swirl and are pushed down the toilet opening, where they travel to your sewer system.

Water from washing and cooking will also be collected and taken down the sewer pipes. These sewage wastes are collectively known as sewage. The bigger sewer pipes take all the sewage to where it is treated.

Waste from other properties is collected and travels through the sewerage pipes. The final destination is the sewage treatment plant. So ensure only apt materials like toilet paper go down your toilet.

What Happens to Raw Sewage?

Water Treatment Plant Photo

After you flush the toilet, your drains’ waste is eventually taken to a wastewater treatment plant. This is important as this process involves cleaning the water and removing bacteria, harmful germs, and toxins. This is done with special chemicals and various techniques. If you notice sewage in your yard, block off the area and contact a professional plumber.

Items such as toys, jewellery, and other objects flushed down a drain are also removed. Once the water has been processed at the wastewater treatment plants, thoroughly cleaned, and tested rigorously to ensure it is environmentally safe, it is released into the ocean or local river and even turned into recycled water!

Call in the Experts for All Your Toilet Needs

After flushing, wastewater leaves your home through a network of pipes and travels to a treatment facility. There, it undergoes several stages of filtration and biological treatment to ensure it’s safe to be released back into the environment. The treated water eventually returns to natural bodies of water, while solid waste is processed, often becoming compost or energy.

Understanding what happens after flushing can highlight the importance of maintaining a healthy plumbing system. If you’re experiencing any toilet issues, whether clogs, leaks, or slow drainage, it’s best to address them quickly to avoid costly damage. Contact Fixed Today Plumbing for expert assistance with all your toilet and plumbing needs. Call us, email us, or visit our contact page today for a free quote—we’re here to help.

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