He reached for the handle to perform the ceremonial "victory flush" to clear the remnants.

The water in the bowl rises significantly toward the rim before slowly draining away.

Understanding the warning signs and early intervention can prevent a minor nuisance from turning into a costly plumbing emergency.

He reached for the plunger, a flimsy orange thing he’d bought at a dollar store three years ago. He aligned the rubber cup over the drain, creating a seal. He pushed. Squelch. He pulled. Shlorp.

Bubbling or gurgling noises during or after a flush often indicate trapped air being pushed through a restricted pipe.

Unlike a full blockage, a partial clog lets some water through while restricting the flow.

"Now the heat," he muttered. He boiled a kettle of water. He poured it from a height, hoping the thermal shock would break the structural integrity of the blockage.