Sloan Flushmate II and III Recall

[Ron Hasil]

During all your inspections you all most likely came across water closets (toilets) that when you flush them they are loud and powerful flush. When you take the tank lid off and look inside you will see a large black vessel which is the Sloan Flushmate.

Sloan has been having issues with these coming apart at the seams violently.

I did a write up on this on my facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/notes/a-archer-sewer-plumbing-service/toilets-that-use-the-sloan-flushmate-ii-and-iii/466543006700717

You can check to see if the water closet you are inspecting is part of the recall by entering the information here. Flushmate (http://flushmate.com/recall/)

Here is the link to the recall Flushmate Recalls Flushmate® III Pressure-Assisted Flushing System Due to Impact and Laceration Hazards (http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PREREL/prhtml12/12201.html)

[Greg Filian]

I have seen these but not with issues. But I will now be looking a little closer. Thanks for the info.

Expert Mobile & Manufactured Home Inspections O.C. & San Diego Co. (http://www.MobileHomeInspectors.com)

[Ron Hasil]

When you check to see if its part of the recall, and if it is, Sloan will send you a repair kit. Now calling this thing a repair kit is kind of false advertising. Its more of a kit to keep the tank from blowing apart causing severe damage when the seam comes apart.

The kit comes with a U-Band that you slide under the tank and secure it with the supplied screws. Then you install the supplied pressure regulator to the water closet then hook up the supply to the regulator. Here is a video of how to install this so called "Repair Kit" Flushmate (http://flushmate.com/recall/video/)

Now if the black tank is leaking this repair kit will not fix the problem. You will have to call Sloan and from what I been hearing they will 2nd day you a whole new tank.

Here is a article about the recall also showing the stitches someone had to get due to him being near the water closet when the Flushmate exploded. Sloan Valve Co.s Flushmate III Pressure-Assisted Flushing Systems Exploding Toilet Recall Lawsuits Lawyers & Attorneys (http://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/Flushmate-III-Pressure-Assisted-Flushing-Systems-Exploding-Toilet-Recall-Lawsuits)

[Dom D'Agostino]

I hate those toilets.
I only see those in commercial installations. I've never seen one in a residential WC.
Take forever to recharge if water pressure or volume is low. Too loud, also.

[Lon Henderson]

I have only seen two or three of these things. But I didn't know about a recall so thanks for the info.

[Eric Gulotta]

I have installed those when I built some buildings for a Day Camp. Was thinking about putting one in my own house's hall bath to help prevent clogging issues. Have to rethink that now!

[Chris Weekly]

Thanks for the information Ron. This is news to me. Sometimes the information just does not filter through for some time about these problematic devices that companies are trying out on the consumers.
I'll start looking closer now when I do the flush on these types.
Yeah, Dom - I agree - toooo loud - can scare the crap out of you.

[Jerry Peck]

can scare the crap out of you.

I thought that was the intent of those things ... ;)

[Chris Weekly]

Remember the bawdy bathroom poem "Here I sit brokenhearted...."
Brokenhearted no more! ....but, broken fixture maybe. Heck of a tradeoff.

[Rod Corwin]

A Las Vegas woman says the fix offered by Sloan Valve Co. on its defective Flushmate III Pressure-Assisted Flushing System (http://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/Flushmate-III-Pressure-Assisted-Flushing-Systems-Exploding-Toilet-Recall-Lawsuits) is also defective and has sued the company for injuries she suffered when the flushing system caused her toilet to explode.

Earlier this month, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CFoQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cpsc.gov%2Fcpscpub%2Fprerel%2 Fprhtml12%2F12201.html&ei=jegzUIWyGOP00gHo4oCACA&usg=AFQjCNENxaBZ3jjoo8z_Dau4SSkTi9SjqQ&sig2=4249rCBuROR-WpAjRflVDQ) issued a recall along with Sloan on the flushing system that was sold at Home Depot and Lowe’s Home Improvement stores along with toilet manufacturers American Standard, Crane, Kohler, Eljer, Mansfield, St. Thomas, and Gerber. More than 2.3 million of the Flushmate flushing systems were sold in the U.S. from 1997 until 2008. Another 9,000 were sold in Canada.

The recall was necessary because the flushing system was defective and prone to “explosions” that put consumers who used the devices at risk of laceration injuries. The CPSC received more than 300 reports of the flushing system bursting after it was installed in consumer commodes. These incidents resulted in at least 14 “impact or laceration” injuries to consumers who were hit with parts of the toilet dislodged during the “explosion”.

As part of the recall, customers who purchased the Flushmate flushing system were offered a free repair kit. The Las Vegas woman seeking unspecified monetary damages from Sloan says the repair kit offered to consumers is also defective and to fix the flushing system requires a professional plumber who should replace it completely.

The lawsuit she’s filed in a Las Vegas courtroom is seeking class-action status that would include other consumers who were affected by the defective Flushmate III Pressure-Assisted Flushing System.

Sloan is also facing legal trouble from other areas of the country, including lawsuits filed in Los Angeles and San Francisco. One lawsuit against the company seeks at least $5 million in damages caused by the defective flushing system.

[Walter Rose]

I came across one of these in Gambell Alaska last week. It had ruptured and was leaking badly. Fortunately it did not damage anything. I contacted Sloan with the serial number. It is a Flushmate II that they will replace for free.

To check if a tank is eligible for free replacement go to www.flushmate.com\recall\ ... it will ask if you received a recall notice... leave the "yes" box checked and click "submit" (the customer number is not required). Enter the serial number on the next screen and click "submit." It will either give you an "incorrect serial number" error, or direct you to the appropriate web page with additional information.

You can also call (800) 303-5123 between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday and between 8:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. ET Saturday with the serial number and they'll check it for you. (that's what I did) Hope this helps!

- - - Updated - - -

I came across one of these in Gambell Alaska last week. It had ruptured and was leaking badly. Fortunately it did not damage anything. I contacted Sloan with the serial number. It is a Flushmate II that they will replace for free.

To check if a tank is eligible for free replacement go to www.flushmate.com\recall\ ... it will ask if you received a recall notice... leave the "yes" box checked and click "submit" (the customer number is not required). Enter the serial number on the next screen and click "submit." It will either give you an "incorrect serial number" error, or direct you to the appropriate web page with additional information.

You can also call (800) 303-5123 between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday and between 8:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. ET Saturday with the serial number and they'll check it for you. (that's what I did) Hope this helps!