Whether you’ve been RVing for quite some time, or you just picked up your first RV and are about to hit the road, you’ve probably heard of or experienced a little thing called an “RV toilet clog,”. Folks who have experienced a clogged holding tank often find themselves desperate to figure out how to unclog their RV toilet. Contrary to what some might suggest, clogs are not inevitable, but they can sometimes feel impossible to fix once you have one!
The most common type of clog is a pyramid plug. The name of this little bugger is pretty descriptive; an RV pyramid plug is quite literally a pyramid of poop and paper that has built up inside your black water holding tank! We’ll get into the reason for this below, but you should know right from the get go that it’s very easy for a pyramid plug to form if you’re not following the proper RV holding tank care procedures.
In this article, we’ll be covering everything you need to know about RV pyramid plugs and how to fix and prevent them!
Before you can do anything else, however, you have to make sure that you’re actually dealing with a pyramid plug. A pyramid plug is often mistaken for a blocked plumbing line or vice versa, which is why it’s important to figure out whether or not you actually have a pyramid plug. We’ve outlined the process to diagnose a pyramid plug below:
If you believe you have a pyramid plug after completing the steps above, don’t worry! Next we’ll cover how to fix it!
After you've gone through this diagnoses, does it seem like this ISN'T your problem? Read here to diagnose if you have one of the other common tank clogs and learn how to solve it!
Guide Continued Below
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Like we said above, a pyramid plug forms when all the water inside your black tank is allowed to exit the tank because the black tank valve was left open. You need a lot of water in your tank to make sure all the waste sloshes around and remains liquefied. If you have a pyramid plug, your ultimate goal should be to add as much water to the tank as possible. There are a few steps to take in order to do this:
NOTE: Many people wonder if there are any chemicals that will unclog their RV toilet, but the best type of tank openers use bacteria + enzymes to break down the waste that makes up the clog, which is why Unique Tank Cleaner is so effective. It contains no dangerous chemicals and uses only powerful, safe bacteria + enzymes to liquify a pyramid plug.
As you can see, a pyramid plug is not impossible to remove, but it can be quite the hassle! The absolute best way to avoid these frustrations is to prevent them from ever happening in the first place.
Like we said above, a pyramid plug forms when the black tank valve is left open. So, to prevent a pyramid plug, simply keep your black tank valve closed unless you’re dumping your tank! This is rule #1 of The Unique Method, our comprehensive guide for treating RV wastewater systems, and it’s extremely important!
When you keep your black tank valve closed and use plenty of water in your tank (also a rule of The Unique Method), the water in your tank sloshes around and keeps the waste from forming into a pyramid. It also allows a bacteria-based holding tank treatment—like RV Digest-It—to digest the waste inside your tank. On the other hand, when you keep your valve open, all the water flows out of your tank, which means your holding tank treatment will be ineffective and all the solid waste will begin to accumulate into a pyramid of poop!
We hope that this article has helped you fix your pyramid plug! An RV pyramid plug is definitely frustrating, but it’s ultimately preventable. Even if you’ve already gotten a pyramid plug, however, they can be solved with a little work.
Like we mentioned in this guide, there are other clogs that can develop in an RV holding tank and toilet, including a blocked line in your RV plumbing and a compacted RV holding tank. To learn more about these clogs, plus how to fix and prevent them, check out our article, Unclogging An RV Toilet!
If you should have any additional issues, or need a question answered that is not covered in this guide, please reach out to us at support@uniquemm.com. We’d love to help you solve your issue!
You bought your RV so you could enjoy life and spend time with family and friends. The last thing you want to do is waste precious time and money on fixing wastewater holding tank problems. Keeping your tanks in peak operating condition doesn’t have to be hard, confusing, or expensive if you follow our proven process: The Unique Method.
The Unique Method is a comprehensive tank care plan that we developed after years of conversations with real customers facing real problems. The Unique Method provides you with simple, preventative steps to stop odors, clogs, and sensor problems before they start so you can spend less time worrying about your holding tanks and more time enjoying the freedom and adventure of RVing. Try it yourself and see why thousands of campers trust their RVs with The Unique Method every day.
If you need more help with anything covered in this guide or simply have a comment, we’re here to help you anytime!
Many people may wonder, “Is a tank flush really that necessary?”. We recommend that you thoroughly flush out your black water holding tank for 20-30 minutes every 3-5 dumps.