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View Full Version : Toilet tank failure!!!


LiegeRiver
09-17-2010, 10:19 AM
So... I awake to a loud "clunk", and then the sound of running water. 'Is my daughter getting in the bath", I think? I look at the clock... 4:20 AM.... this don't sound good..... water splashing, gushing.... I jump up, step out into the hall..into a half inch of water on the floor. The damn toilet tank had split, so I turn off the supply tap. My daughter comes around the corner and reports that there is water all over the floor downstairs... the new laminate floor I just installed this spring!!!!!! And running down the newly painted walls!!!!!:sign0176: I was just doing all of the trim and final touches, on what was supposed to be our rec/trophy/entertainment area.........now it's going to have to come up, get dried out, and be replaced. The adjuster has been notified, and the emergency clean up guys are supposed to be here, hopefully within 72 hours. All that work down the drain...so to speak. Oh, well, on the bright side, no one is hurt, none of my mounts were damaged and it will be covered by the water escape clause in my insurance. Which brings me to a very important point - if you have Crane toilets in your house, check the serial numbers. If there is a V following the number, change them out, they are not up to code, and they WILL fail. If I had realized this, I would have changed mine out long ago, as apparently there was a problem at the factory. That's how my day has gone so far.:mad2:
Gord

The Fisherman Guy
09-17-2010, 10:24 AM
Yikes, that's not a fun wake up call! I admire your optimisim for taking it in stride, despite all the hard work you put into your castle only to have it pooched by a faulty component.

Thanks for the warning! I will be checking all of my toilet tanks when I get home.

Littlejet
09-17-2010, 10:25 AM
Had the same thing happen. It seems there is a fault in the casting on one brand of tanks. Mine broke when I was away:sign0176: Insurance covered it but what a mess.

FishingMOM
09-17-2010, 10:29 AM
Well you got lots of practice working on your home now you can watch the pro's come in and do the work in 10X the amount of time it took you. Kidding.
Well at least it happened when you were home. Nothing like it happening at Christmas when your away.

This is another great example of why home owners insurance and renters insurance (for non home owners) is essential.

CaberTosser
09-17-2010, 10:40 AM
Just from the thread title I knew it was gonna be a Crane toilet. I've seen this dozens of times over the years. One nice vintage bungalow in Scarboro here in Calgary had it break when they were away for 2 weeks, it was in the second floor bathroom (love those vaulted ceilings) and ruined nearly everything below it, miraculously except the kitchen. All the hardwood flooring had to be replaced, and while this all went on he had us replace the original convective cast iron boiler (the place had those nice cast iron rads; they were sent out for sandblast and powdercoating) and naturally insurance didn't spring for the boiler; but they did pay for the asbestos removal from it, as the water got it all mushy and it was falling off.

cpppark
09-17-2010, 11:12 AM
Ive replaced at least 20 tanks over the years and all were Crane. Had another one crack this week, same deal another Crane. Some of the cracks have been big enough to push a nickle through. Talk to the Crane rep about it and its all new to them.

Okotokian
09-17-2010, 11:17 AM
A tank broke like that in my father's house while my family and I were visiting and he wasn't there. I don't think he ever really believed us that our kids hadn't somehow broken it. LOL

Anyways, it's the reason I always shut the line to each tank in the house off if we are away for more than a day.

Spidey
09-17-2010, 12:07 PM
A tank broke like that in my father's house while my family and I were visiting and he wasn't there. I don't think he ever really believed us that our kids hadn't somehow broken it. LOL

Anyways, it's the reason I always shut the line to each tank in the house off if we are away for more than a day.

Good advice. And I'll be checking the brand of all our toilets as soon as I get home... I'm surprised there hasn't been a class action lawsuit on this.

Edit: looks like there has been class action tacken against Crane: http://www.askmehelpdesk.com/plumbing/crane-toilet-tank-387882.html

CaberTosser
09-17-2010, 01:12 PM
A tank broke like that in my father's house while my family and I were visiting and he wasn't there. I don't think he ever really believed us that our kids hadn't somehow broken it. LOL

Anyways, it's the reason I always shut the line to each tank in the house off if we are away for more than a day.


One had broken at a friends house party when we were young, but it happened when a good friend of our was using the facilities, not from young people being idiots. The sad part was, the girl who had this nasty thing happen was rather heavy, and the embarrasment and teasing she suffered was a very bad time for her. Later on when I found out about this nasty 'feature' of Crane toilets, I told her to ease her mind; but sadly it didn't inform everyone else who was there that night.

Twisted Canuck
09-17-2010, 01:48 PM
When I was building my house(s), my plumber friend warned me in advance to stay away from Crane, Kohler all the way. Great but expensive units.

I also shut off the water main in my homes, particularily in the winter months, if we are going away for a day or longer.

LiegeRiver
09-17-2010, 02:12 PM
Well, the crew is here, and went right to work. The adjuster is right on top of things, and the wheels are in motion. My knees are crying right now, thinking about all the aches and pains I went through to get that all work done. I'm no pro, but it was looking pretty good. I'll be sure to post a few pictures when I get done. (AGAIN!!!!!!!!!) :sign0176: Maybe I'll post a couple of the recent carnage, then the follow-on pic's will look that much better.

Gord

Mhunter51
09-17-2010, 06:46 PM
Same thing happened to me. Was sleeping and hear a loud thud/clunk and WATER. Jumped up and there was half inch of water on the bathroom floor at 3:30 in the morning. It was a crane and the crack went from the center bottom hole along the bottom and right to the top on the side. I was 1/2 in wide at the top. Took the tank in and the rep happened to be there. He said " Yes we have had some problems " and gave me a new tank. Now this was 16 or 18 YEARS ago. They knew about it then and they sure know about it still today just don't want to do anything about it.

Grizzly Adams
09-17-2010, 08:31 PM
This Crane problem has been around for years. I'd a thought they would have got over it, by now. Surprised i haven't heard about any law suits. Hacer en Mexico. :lol:

Grizz

Redfrog
09-19-2010, 11:11 AM
Good to hear that the insurance is taking care of you.

"I'll be sure to post a few pictures when I get done."

Does that mean I might get a pic as well?:thinking-006:

great white whaler
09-19-2010, 12:43 PM
A tank broke like that in my father's house while my family and I were visiting and he wasn't there. I don't think he ever really believed us that our kids hadn't somehow broken it. LOL

Anyways, it's the reason I always shut the line to each tank in the house off if we are away for more than a day.

i have shut if valves ever weres....live and learn:bad_boys_20:

LiegeRiver
09-19-2010, 12:50 PM
Good to hear that the insurance is taking care of you.

"I'll be sure to post a few pictures when I get done."

Does that mean I might get a pic as well?:thinking-006:

Sorry about that. I'll get out to you tomorrow, I'm at work right now.

Gord:sign0161:

Enigma
09-19-2010, 12:54 PM
i have shut if valves ever weres....Huh?? lol :confused:


I was working on an infill in Elbow Park. House was about $1.5 million. Less than a week away from posession, the owners had moving vans scheduled, etc. Just final touches to be done. On the 3rd floor bathroom the toilet tank supply line nut (plastic) broke. This was after everyone left on Friday. The outside temp was in the -30 range and on Sunday morning the paper boy came to the front door to be greeted by a solid "water fall" of ice coming out from under the door. It flooded from the 3rd floor on down. All the carpet, hardwood, cabinets, walls, etc completely destroyed.
Insurance company blamed the plumber had tightened it too much, Plumber claimed the manufacturer had a bad nut.

All from a 25 cent piece of plastic!!

mtylerb
09-19-2010, 01:18 PM
i have shut if valves ever weres....live and learn:bad_boys_20:

Huh?? lol :confused:

I think that's supposed to be "I have Shut off valves everywhere".

CaberTosser
09-19-2010, 01:43 PM
I won't install a fixture without providing isolation valves. I've seen plenty of split plastic water-closet supply nuts, and know which ones to avoid ( if the plastic is partly translucent I avoid them).

Enigma's example where the manufacturer wants to blame the installer probably won't fly; as you won't see a torque rating for that supply nut anywhere in the product packaging. That would leave them with no means of proving excess force, if no measureable force is stated in the first place. I've split plenty of supply using what should be reasonable force to get a proper seal. The braided supplies are helpful in this regard, as less torque is necessary with the gaskets they have in them compared to the older chrome plated tubes.