Exploding toilet tank complaints leads to massive Flushmate recall

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Complaints of injury and property damage due to exploding toilet tanks have led to millions of flushing systems being recalled, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced.

The recall, announced Thursday, affects about 1.4 million Flushmate II 501-B pressure-assisted flushing systems sold in the U.S. from September 1996 through December 2015 for about $108 per unit. An addition 17,300 units were sold in Canada.

Flushmate said it received 1,446 reports in the U.S. and seven complaints in Canada of the systems bursting, resulting in nearly two dozen injuries including one person who reported that they needed foot surgery.

The exploding systems also resulted in property damage totaling about $710,000.

Image: Flushmate recall
Officials are recalling 1.4 million pressure-assisted flushing systems manufactured between 1996 and 2013 after nearly 1,500 of the systems burst in toilet tanks, causing about $710,000 in damage and 23 injuries.cpsc.gov

The defective systems “can burst at or near the vessel weld seam releasing stored pressure,” which can lift the tank lid and shatter the tank,” according to the recall statement. This can lead to possible “impact and laceration hazards to consumers and property damage.”

Buyers are urged to stop using the flushing systems immediately, turn off the water supply system to the unit and flush the toilet to release any internal pressure.

People who own the product are told to contact Flushmate to get a free replacement unit installed by a technician.

The Flushmate II was installed inside toilet tanks and were manufactured from Sept. 3, 1996 through Dec. 7, 2013. They were sold online, through toilet manufacturers and distributors and also at Home Depot and Lowe’s.

Recalled units have a 15-character code/serial number, which can be found on the label on top of the Flushmate units. Buyers can visit Flushmate.com to see if their unit is included in the recall.

This is not the first time aa similar Flushmate system has been recalled. The Series 503 Flushmate III was recalled in June 2012, January 2014 and July 2016.