Big Recall of Flushing Systems Announced
Flushmate has received 1,446 reports in the United States and seven reports in Canada of the systems bursting, resulting in property damage totaling about $710,000, including 23 injury reports with one requiring foot surgery.
Flushmate, of New Hudson, Mich., a division of Sloan Valve Company, has voluntarily recalled about 1.4 million Flushmate II 501-B pressure-assisted flushing systems because the devices 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, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission's announcement. It says Flushmate has received 1,446 reports in the United States and seven reports in Canada, where about 17,300 of the systems were sold, of products bursting, resulting in property damage totaling about $710,000, including 23 injury reports with one requiring foot surgery.
The Series 503 Flushmate III was previously recalled June 2012, January 2014, and July 2016, according to the announcement.
Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled Flushmate II 501-B systems, turn off the water supply to the unit, and flush the toilet to release the internal pressure. Consumers should contact Flushmate to request a free Flushmate replacement unit and installation by a technician. They can contact the company toll-free at 844-621-7538 between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. Eastern time weekdays and between 8 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Saturday, or by visiting www.flushmate.com and clicking on "501-B Recall" in the blue box on the top of the page for more information.
The recall covers Flushmate II 501-B pressure-assisted flushing systems installed inside toilet tanks that were manufactured from Sept. 3, 1996 through Dec. 7, 2013. The units are rounded oval, black, two-piece vessels made of injection-molded plastic. Recalled units have a date code/serial number that is 15 characters long and is located on the label on top of the Flushmate II 501-B unit. The first six numerals of the serial number are the date code. The date code range for units included in this recall in MMDDYY format is 090396 (Sept. 3, 1996) through 120713 (Dec. 7, 2013). The model code is 10 characters long and is located on the same product label. The model code starts with M and ends with F. Units included in this recall were sold individually and installed in toilets manufactured by American Standard, Corona, Crane, Kohler, and Mansfield.
The systems were sold at Home Depot and Lowe's stores, toilet manufacturers, distributors, and plumbing contractors nationwide and online at www.grainger.com, www.hdsupply.com, www.homedepot.com, and other online retailers from September 1996 through December 2015 for about $108 for the units without toilets.