Flushing system recalled because of exploding toilets

CINCINNATI - A faulty flushing system is apparently to blame for 304 toilets exploding in people's homes.

Now the Consumer Product Safety Commission is announcing a recall.

The Flushmate III Pressure-Assist Flushing System is being recalled because there are reports of the system bursting and shattering the toilet tank.

The Flushmate company has received 304 reports of the product bursting, resulting in property damage and 14 impact or laceration injuries. 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 or laceration hazards to consumers and property damage.

The company says there are 2,330,600 of these faulty flushing systems in American homes and about 9,400 in Canada.

This recall is for Series 503 Flushmate III Pressure Assist flushing systems installed inside toilet tanks. The recalled systems were manufactured from October 1997 to February 2008. The units are rectangular, black, two-piece vessels made of injection molded plastic. The date code/serial number is 16 characters long and is located on the label on the top of the Flushmate III. The first six numerals of the serial number are the date code. The date code range for this recall begins with 101497 (Oct. 14, 1997) and continues through 022908 (Feb. 29, 2008).

Flushmate says the recalled flushing systems were sold at The Home Depot and Lowe's stores, distributors and plumbing contractors nationwide for about $108, and sold to toilet manufacturers including American Standard, Crane, Eljer, Gerber, Kohler, Mansfield and St. Thomas.

The Consumer Products Safety Commission says consumers should stop using recalled products immediately. Consumers should immediately turn off the water supply to the recalled Flushmate III unit, and contact the firm to determine if their Flushmate III serial number is included in the recall and to request a free repair kit.

For more information, contact Flushmate toll-free at (800) 303-5123 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday or visit the firm's website at www.flushmate.com and http://recall.flushmate.com.

For more information on the recall, go to http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml12/12201.html .