Tips for Recovering Flushed Jewellery
It’s a situation no one wants to deal with – your ring or other jewellery has been flushed down the toilet. While such an event can be panic inducing, there are some quick solutions you can try to retrieve your ring. We’ve detailed them for you below. If none of these prove successful, you can always contact an expert plumber for help.
Do A Manual Check
A ring is heavier than most waste that gets flushed down the toilet. If you’re lucky, it may not have completely flushed down the drain. First, perform a visual check of the toilet bowl. If you can’t see the ring, get a flashlight and plumbing snake (or similar tool, such as a coat hanger). Push the plumbing snake down into the toilet bowl. You may be able to pull the item out without any further effort.
Remove the Toilet
If there is no sign of the jewellery after your manual check, the next step is to remove the toilet. Removing the toilet probably sounds daunting to anyone not familiar with plumbing, but it is possible to perform on your own if you follow the simple steps below:
- Find the water shut off valve, normally located under or behind the toilet where the water supply exits the wall or floor. Shut off the water.
- Drain the tank by flushing the toilet and holding the lever until the majority of the water has drained. If any water remains, scoop it out manually. A turkey baster or sponge will both work well for this step.
- Use pliers to remove the bolts securing the toilet to the floor.
- Have another person help you lift the toilet off the floor. The toilet is held to the drain pipe by a wax ring. It may take some effort to remove the toilet from the wax ring. Once the toilet is lifted, place it on the ground on its side.
Now that the toilet has been removed, you can look in the waste opening on the bottom of the toilet and down the drain pipe on the floor. Use a flashlight to see if you can spot the jewellery. If so, you should be able to retrieve it with the plumbing snake.
Contact a Plumber for Assistance
If neither of the above methods allowed you to secure your jewellery, it is time to contact a plumber for assistance. If you’re located in Toronto, then New Canadian Drain & Plumbing is here to help. We are a company of highly trusted, organized professionals available to assist with all your plumbing needs. We are prepared to go above and beyond to help solve your plumbing and drain problems, including providing emergency drain and plumbing services. Contact us now to find out how we can help and to receive a free estimate.