The absolute last thing you want when nature comes a calling is to fear your toilet will explode on you, or under you… but this actually happened to three hundred people using toilets with a flush assist product produced by Flushmate.
The problem turns out to be that this flush assist actually pushes water down and out of the tank and into the toilet bowl, whereas a traditional toilet uses gravity to pull the water and waste down. The result of the system is a build in sudden pressure that the “bladder” can’t hold, leading to the Flushmate bursting at the seams, otherwise known as an explosion.
Fortunately, no fatalities have occurred in relation to the issue, but fourteen people have suffered serious injuries, including cuts and lacerations requiring stitches.
You can identify these toilets by checking the brand of your toilet and when your toilet was manufactured. American Standard, Crane, Eljer, Gerber, Mansfield and Kohler have all manufactured toilets with Flushmate systems, so open your toilet up and check the date. The code goes MMDDYY, for month, day, year. Anything between October 14, 1997 and Feb 29, 2008 may qualify you for a recall.
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