Durapro Toilet Connector Problems May Be Result of Design Flaw

Many homeowners have been complaining of Durapro toilet connector problems and the resultant damage caused to their homes due to the alleged defective natures of the plumbing product.

Many of these frustrated property owners have opted to pursue legal action against Durapro’s distributor, Interline.

About Interline’s Durapro Toilet Connector

Interline is a direct marketer and distributor of a broad line of products, including plumbing supplies. Interline does not manufacture the products it sells but instead uses third-party manufacturers to provide it with the products it distributes in the United States.

Among the products distributed by Interline is the DuraPro brand toilet connector, which is manufactured in China. Prior to 2002, Interline sourced their toilet connectors from manufacturers in the United States.

Interline thereafter purchased the Durapro brand toilet connectors from China, first via third-party supplier Lynx, Ltd. and later, after 2005, via third-party supplier MTD Corp.

MTD manufactured the Durapro toilet connectors based on Interline’s design specifications.

However, it is the faulty nature of the product, that has many homeowners experiencing Durapro toilet connecter problems including costly water and property damage.

Durapro Toilet Connector Problems Lead to Lawsuit

At least one class action lawsuit is alleging that Interline should be held accountable for Durapro toilet connector problems.

Six named plaintiffs, Jacqueline D. Ajose of Pennsylvania, Kathy Smith of Colorado, Sharon Kurtz of Texas, Patricia Evett and Kathy Dutton of Arizona, and James L. Boyland of Florida all contend they were left with costly repairs and damage as a result of Durapro toilet connector problems.

The group filed a class action lawsuit in Tennessee federal court in 2014, specifically alleging that Interline distributed “toilet connectors with uniformly defective plastic coupling nuts.”

They also allege that Interline knew of the Durapro toilet connector problems yet failed to publicly disclose that the connectors carried a significant risk of causing “catastrophic water damage to property.”

According to the plaintiffs, the defective nuts caused leaks that allowed substantial water flow throughout their homes.

Because of this water flow, the plaintiffs say they experienced varying degrees of property damage that required them to tear down walls, remove and replace flooring, and discard furniture.

For example, the lawsuit states that Plaintiff Boyland had to vacate the premises, remove molding, drill holes in the walls, and use fans and dehumidifiers to dry the walls and carpets throughout his home.

Similarly, Plaintiff Kurtz suffered damage to her hardwood floors, baseboards, and beds.

Each of the named plaintiffs experienced water damage and had to pay for repairs, either in the form of out-of-pocket expenses or insurance deductibles. The monetary cost of the plaintiffs’ damages ranges from $1,152 to upward of $7,600.

Possible Reason for Durapro Toilet Connector Problems

In the class action lawsuit, it is alleged in detail the precise design flaws that caused the Durapro toilet connectors to fail: “material selection combined with the use of a dense, rubber cone washer that does not relax under load, internal sharp transition points cut into the plastic material, and inadequate wall thickness.”

These defects made the Durapro toilet Connector vulnerable to creep, or the “continued deformation or extension of a plastic component that is under a continuous load”, and crazing, “the formation of thin cracks in plastic caused by notches at stress concentration points.”

The allegations also point to Interline’s purported failure to warn homeowners and product installers of the risk of applying too much torque to the Durapro toilet connectors’ coupling nuts.

The complainants further claim that although the Durapro toilet connectors have a label, the label neither includes installation instructions nor warns of  the specific nature of the risks such as spontaneous fracture or flooding.

DuraPro Toilet Connector Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you or someone you know has experienced water leaks and property damage as the result of a DuraPro toilet connector problems, contact an experienced attorney today. You may be eligible for compensation by participating in or filing a DuraPro toilet connector class action lawsuit.

The DuraPro Toilet Connector Class Action Lawsuit is Ajose et al. v. Interline Brands Inc., Case No. 14-cv-1707 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee.

UPDATE: On April 24, 2018, Interline Brands Inc. agreed to pay $16.5 million to settle a class action lawsuit alleging the company’s DuraPro Toilet Connectors have a defective part that can lead to flooding, causing damage to homes.