Don’t expect power strips to protect your home electrical devices and delicate gadgets in the event of a power surge. A surge follows any wire into the house and then travels from room to room, and simple power strips are just not designed to absorb so much power at once. Whole-house surge protectors are an amazing way of protecting your home and all your expensive gadgets from any disastrous power surges that might occur.
What Causes Power Surges?
Power surges occur when voltage, which is the number of electrons traveling in a wire, increases beyond normal levels. This can happen for many reasons, such as a lightning strike or other electrical fault. A spike in voltage can damage sensitive electronics.
Lightning-induced power surges can travel through electrical media such as metal pipes, wires, and cables. An unprotected home built on earth is a prime target for lightning strikes; lightning will follow any wire into the house and then travel from room to room. These lightning-induced surges are the most powerful and dangerous of all surges and can cause damage to all types of electronics. However, a lightning strike has to be less than a mile away from the house in order to cause harm. In reality, most surge-related damage is not caused by lightning.
More common are surges that are caused by sudden changes in electricity use by the cycling on and off of laser printers, electric dryers, air conditioners, refrigerators, and other energy-sucking devices in the home. These surges are distributed over a more extended period and can at first go unnoticed until they cause extreme damage.
Power Surge Protectors
To combat electrical surges, one must have a two-pronged approach: A whole-house surge protector and an individual circuit surge suppressor.
Both types of surge protectors work like circuit breakers. The whole-house surge suppressor stops the surge from entering the house in the first place. The individual circuit surge suppressor then protects that particular circuit from the remainder of the surge that manages to enter your home.
Whole-Home Surge Protectors
The whole-house surge suppressor is a device that’s installed at the service panel. This device protects your entire home from surges by breaking the circuit to the house when there is an electrical surge. The break occurs before the surge has a chance to reach any of your electronics.
These whole-house surge suppressors are typically hardwired into the circuit breaker. However, you can also plug them into a wall outlet via an AC power cord. To install a whole-house suppressor, either disable the surge strip in your service panel or disconnect it entirely. Once the plug has been disabled or disconnected, remove it, and then open up the panel cover. You will see the service panel; on the left are several slots where there are breakers. To install the whole-house protector, clip it into place and push it down until you hear it click. This will lock it into place.
Whole-house suppressors can’t block out 100% of a power surge, and that is when a “plug-in” surge protector comes in handy. These “plug-in” surge protectors provide additional protection to your appliances and other sensitive electrical equipment. They are available in the form of power strips, timer-equipped strips that shut off after a period of inactivity, and you may even incorporate them into extension cords.
What Are the Benefits of a Whole-Home Surge Protector?
A whole-house surge protector is an excellent investment for homeowners with sensitive electronics and appliances. Here are some of the benefits one can offer.
1. It helps to keep your appliances and computers away from surges.
2. It also prevents damage to appliances and electronics.
3. It can protect against compressor damage, power surges, and spikes.
4. It’s a good defense against lightning strikes, both in your home and in the surrounding environment.
5. It helps keep power lines in your area safe from potential hazards.
You may be interested to know that the cost of buying a whole-house surge protector might be far less than the cost of repairing a damaged appliance.
Other Reasons Why You Should Have Whole-House Surge Protection
Technology
Modern households have many appliances and electronics with sensitive electrical components. These devices can be damaged by surges and spikes that a few surge-resistant extension cords can’t block out. The number of gadgets in one home has increased significantly over the years.
Layering
It is a good idea to layer your surge protection. You should have a whole-house surge protector installed by a Huft Home Service qualified electrician and then use surge protectors in your circuits for maximum protection. This will help to protect your appliances and sensitive electronics from damage due to power surges and spikes.
Repairs and Replacements
When power surges damage your appliances or electronics, it can be a huge expense. An investment in whole-house surge protection can help to avoid this and reduce your insurance rates as well; many insurance companies offer a discount on homeowner’s premiums for those who have surge protection.
Complete Electrical System Protection
If you have a complete electrical system installed, you will have surge protection for every electrical device in your home. The entire house is protected, not just any individual circuit. This protects your appliances and sensitive electronic devices from damage due to power surges and spikes.
Options
The options for whole-house surge protectors are very diverse. You can have a single, dual, or triple-outlet unit installed. This can be used to supply power to more than one appliance and for multiple electrical devices. Therefore, you should speak to an electrician in order to decide which type of surge protection best suits your home.
The Bottom Line
It pays off to be proactive when protecting the sensitive electronics in your home. A whole-house surge protector is a great investment that can save you thousands of dollars that would otherwise go to repairing your damaged equipment.
Additionally, whole-house surge protection offers peace of mind to homeowners who reside in areas with exposed power lines and bad weather. These units are installed at the house’s service panel and can help keep your home safe from power surges caused by lightning and outages.
At Huft Home Services, we provide whole-house surge protectors to keep your home safe. We specialize in protecting and preventing all types of hazards, such as mold, fire, and electrical safety issues. Our expert electrical service installation teams can install a whole-house surge protector for you.
Huft Home Services has locations in Elk Grove, Sacramento, and Yuma City, CA, and we’re proud to serve the surrounding counties with reliable heating, cooling, plumbing, insulation, and electrical services. Our locally owned and operated company has been in business since 2004, and since then, we’ve exceeded the expectations of thousands of customers. Our technicians are NATE certified to handle any service need you may have. Contact us today to schedule your appointment with our friendly staff.
