Yeah, learned that lesson the hard way myself. Had a lightning strike nearby a couple years back—fried my modem and even took out the HDMI ports on my TV. Weirdly, the surge protector was totally fine afterward... go figure. Whole-house protection seemed like overkill at first, but honestly, it's worth it just for peace of mind. Glad you got it sorted; storms are no joke these days.
Had a similar thing happen on a job site once—lightning hit nearby and fried some equipment, but the surge protectors didn't even blink. Makes me wonder if modern gadgets are getting too sensitive or if we're just unlucky sometimes. Ever feel like manufacturers are making stuff trickier to fix on purpose, or is it just me? Seems like every year there's fewer screws and more glue...
You're definitely onto something there. I've noticed the same trend—fewer screws, more glue, and parts that seem intentionally tricky to access. Had a dishwasher last week that was practically sealed shut; felt like I needed a magic spell just to open it up. Honestly, I think manufacturers lean toward disposable designs because it boosts sales. But hey, don't beat yourself up over the lightning thing—sometimes nature just wins, no matter how prepared we are...
"Had a dishwasher last week that was practically sealed shut; felt like I needed a magic spell just to open it up."
Haha, been there! Recently had a similar battle with my microwave. Thought it'd be a quick fix—just replace the keypad, right? Nope. Turns out the thing was basically glued together with industrial-strength adhesive. Felt like I was trying to crack open Fort Knox just to heat up leftovers again.
Honestly, it's getting ridiculous how manufacturers seem to intentionally design stuff that's nearly impossible to fix. Sure, they want us buying new things all the time, but at what point does it cross the line from "smart business" into plain annoying? I mean, how many of us have ended up tossing something perfectly good because we couldn't get inside without breaking half the parts?
Funny enough, my dad still has this ancient toaster he bought in the 80s. Thing weighs about 15 pounds and looks ready for battle—but you can take it apart with a screwdriver in five minutes flat. Compare that to my fancy new coffee maker that's glued tighter than my wallet after payday... doesn't exactly scream "progress," does it?
I'm curious if anyone's had luck finding brands or products that aren't built like puzzle boxes. Maybe there's some underground DIY-friendly appliance company out there secretly catering to folks like us? Or is that just wishful thinking at this point...
I get the frustration, but honestly, some of that adhesive and sealing is there for a reason—especially with appliances that deal with water or moisture. I've seen plenty of storm-damaged kitchens where poor sealing led to internal corrosion or electrical shorts. Still, there's gotta be a middle ground between "sealed for safety" and "sealed forever." Wonder if anyone's found appliances that strike that balance without needing a crowbar to open them...
