When it comes to home upgrades there are always a lot of obvious targets—whether you’re looking for affordable changes with a big impact, DIY renos that don’t require a lifetime of construction experience, or energy-smart changes that will save you money (and, possibly, the world). But there are some home upgrades that aren’t commonly thought of, that can nonethless have a huge impact on your enjoyment of your property. Your standard toilet—no matter how fancy—most likely uses a flapper-style mechanism.
If you look inside the tank, you’ll see a chain running from the handle to a rubber or plastic disc-shaped flap that covers the egress valve. When you push the handle, the chain lifts the flapper, and water rushes into the bowl, initiating the flush. The flapper is one of the most common points of failure in a toilet—they get old and crack or warp and your toilet starts to leak and run all the time.
A flapperless toilet is exactly what it sounds like: It doesn’t use a flapper. Instead, it has a container in the tank that’s filled with water. When you push the handle, the container tips and starts the flushing process, then refills.
It’s quieter. uses less water, and eliminates the failure-prone flapper from your life. Whether you’re a couple who always finds showering together much more romantic—and comfortable—in your head than in reality or you just want the luxury of multiple showerheads without the major plumbing project, a tandem shower head at.
