Nothing worse than sitting on the john, only to have it explode in a fiery ball of waste and water… OK, no, the situation we’re about to describe isn’t really that dangerous… Nevertheless, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is recalling roughly 2 million Sloan Flushmate toilet tank systems. These systems are power flush modules that are designed for better flushing (something that is necessary ever since water conservation standards rendered most toilets all but unusable for those of us who consumer healthy amounts of steak and chicken wings…). Instead, however, a faulty weld seam can cause the pressurized tank to burst and send the toilet lid – and everything else in your toilet – flying. I would pay good money to see a video of this on YouTube… provided no one actually got hurt, of course.
The issue, as we alluded to above, is that the Flushmate III Pressure-Assist Flushing System, which is installed inside the
toilet tank, can burst at or near the vessel weld seam. This would instantly release the stored water pressure that can shatter the tank and, unfortunately, lacerate consumers. Sloan & Flushmate have actually received 304 reports of explosions which have caused property damage and even 14 reports of impact or laceration injuries. You know what, we take back that part about wanting to see this…
Note: The following video is for amusement and is NOT related to Flushmate!
The recalled Sloan Flushmate tank systems are American-made and were originally sold at both Home Depot and Lowe’s, as well as through distributors, and plumbing contractors nationwide. They were priced at around $108 and have a manufacturing date range that falls between October 1997 and February 2008.
The CPSC is asking anyone who owns these to stop using them immediately, cut off the water supply, and contact Flushmate to verify whether or not your unit is affected. If it is, Flushmate will apparently send out a free repair kit. We don’t know what the repair kit is, but presumably it would be a strapping system or some other mechanism to avoid a sudden break in the weld.
