Cheap WarrantyToday I replaced the flapper valve in one of my toilets because it had been leaking. As I was shopping for the replacement, mindful of the bountiful cornucopia of competing products even for such a mundane item, I settled on the one whose package proudly boasted a five-year guarantee: "If it fails within five years of purchase, return to Lavelle. It will be replaced at no charge." There are several amusing things to note about this warranty. Flrstly, I don't think flapper valves fail very often. I expect most any flapper valve would have a good chance of lasting five years. The one I was replacing, for example, had endured six years of daily use. Even if the valve does fail, in order to satisfy the terms of the warranty the customer would have to have retained the product packaging and receipt in order to make a proper warranty claim. No one is going to keep those things around, especially for several years. (In fact I had to fish the package out of the trash when I realized it would be fun to write about this!) Finally, a warranty claim would probably take a couple weeks to process. Who would tolerate having a toilet disconnected for so long when the solution is a valve that costs less than $5? It's much less time and hassle to simply buy another one than to pursue the warranty. Plus, if the valve did fail quickly, you're unlikely to want to replace it with another one just like it, which you'd expect to also fail quickly. I feel confident predicting that the total number of warranty claims the manufacturer will have to fulfill is exactly zero. The offer of warranty on an item like this is a pure marketing device, designed to make the product stand out from its competition while costing the manufacturer nothing at all. Success! Man, I love capitalism.
© Kyle Markley
— Posted 2007-08-26 21:55:54 UTC —
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Comments: 3
Well ain't this interesting. Talk about a "small" world.
You see, in a 'round about way, I sorta know Cap'n Arbyle here. The good captain's father and I have been camping buddies at EAA Oshkosh since Arbyle was a tadpole. And - unbeknownst to Arbie - I also happen to work for Lavelle, the makers of the toilet flapper he mentions in his...dare I call it a "diatribe"? So please, sit back and let me respond.
First, some facts about rubber, and the manufacture of it.
Rubber compounds, prior to the molding cycle have a consistency similar to bubble gum. Somewhat soft and….well, gummy. In order to “harden” the rubber it needs to be “cured”. That is what the molding cycle does. And that requires four things. Time, temperature, pressure, and a curing agent. In most compounds that agent is sulfur.
Once the curing agent is added, at the compounding stage, the rubber immediately starts to “cure”. Though very, very slowly. It is then put in the mold, and the mold is put in the press, where the pressure & heat are applied, for a few moments. This molding cycle rapidly accelerates that curing process. But even after the parts are removed from the mold, the curing continues…for ever. Just back at that very, very slow rate again. This is why old tires get brittle and crack. We call it dry-rot. In fact, over time rubber will actually turn to powder. Ozone also has a similar effect on many rubbers.
Now, when it comes to toilet flappers….
A lot of people use automatic cleaners – like 2000 Flushes – in their toilet tanks these days. These cleaners contain chemicals, such as chlorine, which are quite hard on most rubbers. The chlorine damages the standard rubbers that flappers have historically been made from, causing the flappers to deform and fail prematurly..
However, our Korky Plus™ flapper is made from a custom formulated, proprietary compound (we call “Chlorazone”) designed to resist chloramines & ozone. We did extensive testing, in all sorts of chemicals, when we developed the material a number of years ago, and I can attest that it does much better than the standard flapper.
Having said that…Kyle is pretty much right-on-the-money. It’s a marketing ploy, (Just like manufacturer’s rebates.) though not an empty one. We have, on more than one occasion, made good on the 5 year warranty. Even when we determined it was not an actual product failure. Like ther skipper said...it’s a $5 part. We’re not about to risk bad press over a $5 part. Oh, and I can’t think of one instance where we sent a customer a replacement flapper and had them call back to say it had failed also. It may have happened, I’ve just never heard about it.
So now I want you all to run out and buy a genuine Lavelle, "Korky Plus" flapper. And while you're at it, pick up a genuine Lavelle Korky "Quiet-Fill" fill valve. Or better yet, a Korky "Water-Wise" fill valve.
This new product has an interesting twist. If, for what ever reason, your flapper and/or flush valve should spring a leak, this fill valve will shut itself off after a couple of minutes. Thus saving water, and possibly preventing your bathroom from becoming flooded. (And yes, it really does work. I installed one in my toilet at home early last spring for testing, and I occasionally replicate both a slow leak, and a catastrophic failure, to ensure it's still working.)
Hey Cap'n? How was that for crass capitalistic commercialism? (And tell your dad I said "hi".)
GimpLizard,
So, did you remember to have lunch with that friend of yours?
Ok, two responses immediately come to mind. But which one to use. Quandry-oh-quandry. I know, let's take a vote.
Response #1: Lunch? Friend?
Response #2: No, I was busy in the handicrapper.
Pick you favorite.
(Oh, it's ArbyTe...with a 'T'. I missed that.)
Saralyn, stop laughing. You'll hurt yourself.
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