After earning that bonus at work or inheriting a little cash, it can be frustrating to come across a faulty appliance at home. Instead of booking a fun vacation with your family or upgrading your car, you might find yourself heading to the home improvement store to investigate refrigerator prices. However, these two products might ward off appliance problems, so that you can enjoy any extra money that comes your way:

1: A Water Softener

If you are one of the 85% of American citizens who deal with hard water everyday, you might be used to cleaning up lime scale stains and dealing with non-lathering soap. Unfortunately, those inconveniences are minor compared to what hard water might be doing to your appliances. Hard water can coat the inside of any device that circulates water frequently, clogging nozzles and coating the inside of supply lines. Here are a few ways hard water can wreak havoc on your appliances:

  • Dishwashers: In addition to leaving behind water spots on your glasses, hard water can also clog sprayers, which can interfere with the functionality of your dishwasher. Instead of spraying off debris, your system might leave food particles and grime on those dishes, creating a stinky film.
  • Hot Water Heaters: Over time, hard water deposits can build up inside your hot water heater, taking up precious water space and weighing down the bottom of your hot water heater. If the sediment becomes heavy enough, it can even break the bottom of your tank, allowing water to gush out and flood the area.  
  • Refrigerators: If you have water and ice accessible in the door of your refrigerator, hard water can create unsightly lime scale deposits around the drip tray. Hard water can even clog dispenser lines, leaving you with a non-useable fixture.

Fortunately, you don't have to let a little hard water destroy your appliances. Water softeners, which use sodium ions to pull magnesium and calcium out of your water, can keep your appliances clean and functional, so that they last longer. In fact, although water softeners can be expensive, costing between $1,000 and $2,000, they can double the life of your home appliances. 

2: A Whole-Home Surge Protector

That thunder and lighting might make an excellent backdrop for your scary movie night, but if you don't have some type of surge protection in place, you might end up with a real nightmare on your hands. Power surges can occur anytime the power cuts out and then turns back on with a vengeance. In the United States, electric appliances are designed to handle a steady stream of 120-volt power. Unfortunately, during a power surge, the incoming electrical current can surpass the peak voltage of 169 volts, which can fry the delicate internal motherboards that control your home appliances.   

Fortunately, you can fend off electrical trouble by installing a whole-home surge protector. Unlike those old cable surge protectors, which can age and fray over time, whole-home surge protectors are installed directly on your electrical panel—where they won't be touched. A professional electrician can install a whole-home surge protector in about two hours for a cost of around $500. Although it might seem like a pricey addition, whole-home surge protectors can take the hit if a surge ever happens—protecting your expensive appliances.

When you shop for a whole-home surge protector, look for a version with a lighting system or an alarm, so that you can tell if it has been damaged during a storm. Once your whole home surge protector has been damaged, it will need to be replaced with a new version.

By investing in the right home products, you might be able to keep those appliances in tip-top condition for many years to come.

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