Exploding toilet tanks prompt recall of pressure-assisted flushing systems

[TexasTowelie]

Oct. 22 (UPI) -- Complaints about exploding toilet tanks has prompted a recall by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The Flushmate II 501-B pressure-assisted flushing system can burst at weld seams and cause pressure that "can lift the tank lid and shatter the tank, posing impact and laceration hazards to consumers and property damage," the CSPC said in a recall statement.

Flushmate, a division of Illinois-based Sloane Valve Co., said it's received 1,446 reports of bursting systems since 1996, with nearly two dozen associated injuries. The exploding systems have also caused about $710,000 in property damage.

About 1.4 million systems were sold in the United States between 1996 and 2013, for about $108 per unit, and another 17,000 were sold in Canada.

Read more: https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2018/10/22/Exploding-toilet-tanks-prompt-recall-of-pressure-assisted-flushing-systems/7121540229350/

[Solly Mack]

1. Snap, crapper, pop.

[suffragette]

27. DUzy!

[leftofcool]

31. Give me a goddamn old fashioned toilet that fills with water and then swirls down

[Solly Mack]

34. I'm of an age where I want no surprises in the bathroom.

[SimpleC]

2. I have had times

A pressure assist toilet would be helpful.... plunger works just as well...

[DarthDem]

3. I've Heard of Explosive Toilet Sessions

But this is ridiculous.

[Brother Buzz]

4. This is some serious shit and there's a class action lawsuit against Flushmate

https://flushmatelawsuit.wordpress.com/2012/09/19/recall/

[TexasTowelie]

5. You're correct.

That's some serious shit. Those injuries are severe enough that I'm surprised that some individual claims didn't prompt the company to either correct the issues or remove the product from the market. While the claimants won't receive as much in a class action suit at least we can hope that it will create enough financial impact that some remedy will occur.

[Brother Buzz]

7. Curious, the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) recall was issued on June 21, 2012

Why is is cycling in the news now? Are the lawyers getting itchy because they didn't do enough due diligence, or something?

[csziggy]

17. The recall for this model was issued last week

Name of product: Flushmate II 501-B pressure-assisted flushing systems
Hazard: 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.
Remedy: Replace
Recall date: October 18, 2018
Units: About 1.4 million (in addition, about 17,300 were sold in Canada) (The Series 503 Flushmate III was previously recalled June 2012, January 2014, and July 2016.)
https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2018/flushmate-recalls-flushmate-ii-501b-pressureassisted-flushing-systems-due-to-impact-and

As noted a different model has been recalled three times - in 2012, 2014, and 2016.

[lindysalsagal]

6. Note to self: Don't read DU while eating breakfast...

[TexasTowelie]

8. I thought that I was posting the article at a time

such that it wouldn't have those repercussions.

Oh well...

[Throck]

9. That'll scare the crap out of you.

[Docreed2003]

10. Should have finished my morning constitutional

Before reading this one!

Is this the toilet that's supposedly able to flush golf balls??

[TexasTowelie]

11. I never heard of the contraptions before I read this article.

I do have a knack for finding the quirky stories while I'm scouring the Web though. I hope that nobody is actually reading this story while they're on the throne with one of the pressurized tanks because it might cause too much anxiety. It would be a terrible time to get constipated.

[Omaha Steve]

12. We bought one this summer

Hopefully the problem has been corrected since 2012.

[OnlinePoker]

13. The article does report on another model that has been recalled 3 times.

Does the U.S. have a central database of recalls like we have in Canada?

[malaise]

14. I thought this was about Don the Con

You know lots of shit flying everywhere

[OnDoutside]

15. Crapper Don ?

[malaise]

16. Love it

[TheBlackAdder]

18. Perhaps it's explosive diarrhea.

[LiberalFighter]

19. Gee I wonder if the device has been installed recently in the White House?

[WillowTree]

20. Will have to check the model # of mine as soon as I get home.

Sadly, that model # sounds familiar.

Just what I need..............

[WillowTree]

22. Damn...........that is mine.

I wonder if they'll replace just the Flushmate or if they'll have to replace the whole commode. Guess I'll find out soon enough.

[TexasTowelie]

23. I regret that you have a potential problem.

Meanwhile, you might want to do your business at work to lessen your risks. Good luck since I know that this is one of those unexpected expenses. At least you are informed about the hazard.

[WillowTree]

24. I don't expect it will be an expense.

The article says that the company will give a free replacement including installation. Having done the replacement myself once already, having the promise of a technician to do it means much to me. It was a beast of a job for one relatively small woman. Will just need to try to arrange for them to come some day when I'm WFH, which I suspect won't be a huge problem.

[ProudLib72]

21. Toilets are my sworn enemy

Just when I thought I had found a toilet ally...

[Takket]

25. Maybe this explains the covfefe tweet...

[flyingfysh]

26. That happened in my house once; it was exciting

I don't remember if it was that brand, and it didn't break the tank. But the lid suddenly flew up and came back down, very noisily.

[TexasTowelie]

29. I guess that I should feel fortunate that I never lived anywhere that didn't have sufficient

pressure to flush a toilet. From your description, I've been missing out on all of the excitement.

[AZCat]

32. For tank-style toilets, the water pressure isn't a factor.

The water line pressure just fills the tank, then either gravity or gravity with a boost from one of these systems does the flushing. The boost systems became popular when toilets started reducing the amount of water used per flush (5 gallons per flush down to to 1.6) and it was difficult to initiate a siphon with gravity alone. Later toilet designs improved the flow (by using a larger trap diameter, for example) to a point where a boost is not necessary.

[sheshe2]

28. Oh SHIT!

[TexasTowelie]

30. Just when you thought it was safe to relax

then to be jarred by an exploding toilet. Duck and cover!

[sheshe2]

33. I knew donnie wanted a parade of tanks.

Yikes! Those things have teeth.