Flushmate Recalled After Reports of Toilets Bursting Causing Lacerations and Other Injuries
August 21st, 2012 tmccoy
By: Gerard Ryan
On June 21, 2012 the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a voluntary recall of the Flushmate III Pressure Assisted Flushing System. The recall comes after approximately 304 reports of the product bursting and causing many impact and laceration injuries. This began the process of removing about 2,330,600 units, manufactured between 1997 and 2008, from the market and consumer’s homes.
The danger of this product comes from faults in the pressurized system, which is installed inside a consumer’s toilet. This pressure, within the system, can build and cause a burst near the vessel weld seam. The burst is strong enough to cause the tank lid to lift and shatter the entire tank. When the Flushmate III Pressure Assisted Flushing System does burst, consumers have reported the following injuries:
• Lacerations
• Impact injuries
• Property damage
• Flooding
The dangers of this system have left many consumers fearful they are sitting on a ticking time bomb. Property damage is also a concern, one woman filed a lawsuit against the manufacturer that said the faulty device caused her toilet to malfunction and leak. With the number of units that were put on the market and the numerous reported injuries we are assessing claims from Flushmate consumers.
Before the recall was initiated, the Flushmate III Pressure Assisted Flushing System had a wide variety of distributors across the United States. This product was sold at the Home Depot, Lowe’s, American Standard, Crane, Eljer, Gerber, Kohler, Mansfield, and St. Thomas. Consumers can check to see if they have a recalled system by looking for the serial number below. If you or anyone you know currently has a Flushmate III Pressure Assisted Flushing System installed in their toilet, immediately turn off the water supply to the unit and stop using the system.
