Justin Sullivan, Getty Images
Benjamin Franklin Plumbing technician Todd Snider installs a 0.8 gallon per flush ultra-low flow toilet at a home in Novato, California.
Benjamin Franklin Plumbing technician Todd Snider installs a 0.8 gallon per flush ultra-low flow toilet at a home in Novato, California.
Benjamin Franklin Plumbing technician Todd Snider installs a 0.8 gallon per flush ultra-low flow toilet at a home in Novato, California.
Benjamin Franklin Plumbing technician Todd Snider installs a 0.8 gallon per flush ultra-low flow toilet at a home in Novato, California.
Benjamin Franklin Plumbing technician Todd Snider installs a 0.8 gallon per flush ultra-low flow toilet at a home in Novato, California.

Fluidmaster subject to class action lawsuit claiming it sold defective toilet connectors

July 3, 2014
According to the suit, more than a million defective toilet connectors were sold in the U.S. "Fluidmaster will vigorously defend our company and the reputation of our products." Fluidmaster’s five-year warranty may be the longest in the business. Due to the material and design of the toilet connector, the plastic was susceptible to bending with weight and pressure over time, according to the suit.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CALIFORNIA — The law firm Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro, Seattle, has filed a class action lawsuit against Fluidmaster Inc., claiming that the plumbing product and toilet repair company knowingly sold defective toilet connectors that spontaneously broke, causing millions of dollars in property damage at homeowners’ expense.

The complaint, filed Apr. 24, 2014, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, states that Fluidmaster elected to sell faulty plastic toilet connectors even when it was mechanically and financially feasible for the company to sell an existing, safer alternative design. According to the suit, more than a million defective toilet connectors were sold in the U.S.

“We have carefully reviewed the claims asserted in the complaint, and we strongly believe that they are without merit,” said Scott McDonald, Fluidmaster’s vice president of marketing. “Fluidmaster will vigorously defend our company and the reputation of our products. Quite simply, Fluidmaster stands behind all of our award-winning products.”

According to the lawyers, upon realizing that its plastic toilet connectors were routinely cracking, leaking and causing significant damage, Fluidmaster allegedly responded by lowering its 10-year warranty to five years, according to the suit.

“Instead of notifying consumers of these defects and accepting responsibility for the damages, Fluidmaster chose to remain silent,” said Anthony Shapiro, partner at Hagens Berman. “We believe that consumers deserve to be compensated.”

Fluidmaster’s five-year warranty may be the longest in the business. A quick online search showed that connectors from Watts and BrassCraft have one-year warranties and connectors from Danco, Avidity and LASCO don't seem to carry any warranty. Fluidmaster offers a 10-year warranty for its PRO Series line of connectors, available exclusively through wholesale distributors to plumbing professionals.

“Fluidmaster believes that we have been wrongfully targeted in this case,” McDonald told CONTRACTOR. “As I am sure you know, class action law firms make their livings initiating speculative lawsuits seeking large attorneys' fees. Our toilet connector is a very solid design, to the degree that our known and documented rate of claims is a truly infinitesimal 0.00006.”

According to Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro, “due to the material and design of the toilet connector, the plastic was susceptible to bending with weight and pressure over time, according to the suit. The complaint also cites the company’s poor instructions and warnings that failed to provide the customer with sufficient information to safely and properly install the connectors.”

After reducing the product’s warranty, the lawyers said, Fluidmaster began to redesign the toilet connector in mid-2011, marketing and selling a new, reinforced connector. According to the complaint, the company never publicized that the product was redesigned and did not recall the defective products from its distribution networks.

“In any case, as with all Fluidmaster products,” McDonald responded, “the company fully stands behind our products during their associated warranty period, which in the case of water supply line connectors is typically five years from date of purchase. Customers who may experience an issue with any Fluidmaster product are encouraged to please contact our Technical Support Representatives by email at [email protected] or via phone at 1-800-631-2011 weekdays between the hours of 5:30am-5:00pm, Pacific.

“We apologize for any confusion or inconveniences caused by this,” McDonald continued, “and sincerely thank our customers and business partners for their continued patience and loyalty during this time. We will continue to focus on delivering the outstanding customer service and reliable products that our customers equate with Fluidmaster and look forward to moving beyond this current situation.”

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