The US Consumer Product Safety Commission has just issued a national recall on roughly 1.4 million toilet flushing systems after receiving reports of exploding toilets, including 1,446 explosions and at least 23 serious injuries (including 1 foot surgery).
According to the recall notice, “The system can burst at or near the vessel weld seam releasing stored pressure. This pressure can lift the tank lid and shatter the tank, posing impact and laceration hazards to consumers and property damage.”
The specific product name is the Flushmate II 501-B pressure-assisted flushing systems with date code ranges of 090396 (September 3, 1996) through 120713 (December 7, 2013).
The recalled units were sold individually and installed in toilets manufactured by American Standard, Corona, Crane, Kohler and Mansfield. They were sold in all Charlotte-area Lowes and Home Depot stores, and online on Flushmate’s Amazon store.
Consumers should immediately stop using their Flushmate systems, turn off the water supply to the unit, flush the toilet to release the internal pressure, and contact the company for a replacement (which will be installed by a technician).
Flushmate’s toll-free is 844-621-7538, or they can be reached online at www.flushmate.com (click 501-B Recall in the blue box at the top of the page).
