Toilet flapper idea

[NaPal]

This is one of my many ideas.....



Growing up and now even in my 6 year old house, the flapper chain in my toilets, that connects the handle to the flapper, always kinks, twists, or somehow gets caught and will keep the toilet running until I notice it. I should mention i've tried lengthening the chain, shortening, and everything between.

This is a major PITA as i am now programmed to wait until the water stops running which is wasting time. And when i do just walk away, on behalf of Murphy's law, it will get caught open and keep running, which equates to dollars down the drain.

I am thinking of some type of memory polyurethane material that can be put in place of the chain. Therefore no more kinks, twists, or the chain getting caught on anything.

So i've identified the problem i have daily, and now need to solve it. I would definitely buy this if i saw it on the market.

Thoughts? Probably relatively easy to produce, easy to ship, however we're talking low profits per item but probably a good margin.

 

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[howandwhy]

NaPal. It is a great idea. In fact I had the same problem in my last apartment. The chain will get stuck and the water will be flowing all night which is bad for pocket. The product has to be a non stretchable material and at the same time it will be slippery enough not to get caught at any place inside the flush.

Sounds great. But I do not know how much margin you can make out of each piece. But if you are able to sell in millions (at least in hundred of thousands) then it should cover you.

 

[CarrieW]

I like it! we have this issue as well. it seems to be a new issue to us. only in the last few years. I assumed it was due to the fact that we live in a rental now and they probably use the cheaper replacements for things like that...

 

[AllenCrawley]

[video=youtube_share;RaSgXWRCmfI]http://youtu.be/RaSgXWRCmfI[/video]

Also here's a no chain flapper:

 

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[NaPal]

Thanks for the comments guys. It's nice to know that there is something similar to this out on the market already. Possibly by problems will be solved.

However this is an idea i'm not willing to pursue. My sense or gut is telling my people are not going to buy this or be looking for this as it relates to an indirect need.

 

[Ãœbertreffen]

Thanks for the comments guys. It's nice to know that there is something similar to this out on the market already. Possibly by problems will be solved.

However this is an idea i'm not willing to pursue. My sense or gut is telling my people are not going to buy this or be looking for this as it relates to an indirect need.

Sometimes the market needs to be educated. If plumbing companies don't know the product exists, it's hard to rebuild toilet tanks with a product that may be inferior to the rest if no one knows about it.

Just because the typical home owner may not want it, doesn't know it exists, or doesn't have the knowledge to outweigh the benefits doesn't mean that the product cannot do well. Plumbing is a huge service industry so not everyone is going to just purchase flappers and go to town. In many cases, they're going to call a plumbing company and have them install the product. Whether they bought the product and want a plumbing company to install it (often this can be a PITA as some buy garbage products and are stubborn to use anything else) or the plumber may need to rebuild the tank and may push products such as this onto the customer.

In this case, your best point of contact would be the plumbing wholesale houses. Most plumbing companies get their product through them. If they have a service team, then the guys/gals of the plumbing company are typically in and out picking up product if they don't have it on their service vehicle. The plumbing wholesale companies are nationwide and would hold a large inventory of the product. Their job is to then take it downstream to sell the product. If they hear good things on a new product from plumbing companies that will also result in more product sold.

The plumber would then go over the benefits with the customer. If the plumbing company also focuses in the new construction side of the business then they may even push the product onto builders. The thing is it depends on the builder. I know some builders who want to put the cheapest crap in that they can find. When you tell them that they don't have the quality of parts as other brands they look past it. Then within time, you get calls from builders trying to point the finger on anyone but themselves. That's when you prove your point and either come back and fix the issue over and over or persuade them to quality products that they should of used the first time around.

Saving a few dollars in the long run is going to make things worse. Lets say a new house was just built and after the house closes one of the bathroom lavatories leaks so bad that it floods the bathroom. Water pools up and the water in the cabinet drips through the cracks of the cabinet doors and flows like a river down the hallway. As the pool gets larger the water makes its path through the drywall and drips down into the basement. You better get your insurance company because you'll be replacing drywall, cabinets if standing water for a long period of time, damaged wood floors, warped carpet, etc.

It might seem like a stretch but I've seen supply lines do a lot of damage. It wasn't because it was installed incorrectly but because the product that was suppose to be such a great product ended up not being able to take the heat. When I mean heat, I literally mean hot water. Most of the supply lines that I recommend no one use were all blown off from the hot side and not the cold side. Every single time.

There are definitely problems and/or gaps that need to be filled all around us. We're actually working on a few patents due to issues found in the construction industry.

If you keep spotting issues such as the one you described, you will eventually fill up page after page of things that could provide value to the masses. Just make sure to rip them apart and you'll find at least one that will make the cut.



- Devin