#Roommates, we got to talk about bathroom safety right quick.
People have made complaints of injury and property damage because of exploding toilet tanks, which have led to millions of flushing systems being recalled, according to @NBCNews. This gives “blowing the bathroom up” a new, literal meaning.
The recall was recently announced by the #ConsumerProductSafetyCommission and affects about 1.4 million #FlushmateII 501-B pressure-assisted flushing systems. These were sold in the U.S. from September 1996 through December 2015 for about $108 per unit.
An additional 17,300 units were sold in Canada. Flushmate said it received 1,446 reports in the U.S. and seven complaints in Canada of the systems bursting, resulting in nearly two dozen injuries. One person reported that they needed foot surgery due to the explosion.
The exploding systems also resulted in property damage totaling about $710,000.
The defective systems “can burst at or near the vessel weld seam releasing stored pressure, which can lift the tank lid and shatter the tank,” according to the recall statement. This can lead to possible “impact and laceration hazards to consumers and property damage.”
Buyers of the product are being urged to stop using the flushing systems immediately, turn off the water supply system to the unit and flush the toilet to release any internal pressure.
People who own the product are being told to contact Flushmate to get a free replacement unit installed by a technician.
The Flushmate II was installed inside toilet tanks and were manufactured from Sept. 3, 1996 through Dec. 7, 2013. The toilets were sold online, through toilet manufacturers and distributors and also at Home Depot and Lowe’s stores.
Recalled units have a 15-character code/serial number, which can be found on the label on top of the Flushmate units. Buyers can visit Flushmate.com to see if their toilet is included in the recall.
#Roommates, check your toilets and we’ll be sure to keep you updated on the latest.
TSR STAFF: Christina C! @cdelafresh
