Guard the Home and Its Appliances With a Whole House Surge Protector!
Regarding a home’s electrical system, a few things can be as damaging as a power surge. Unfortunately, power surges are far more common than homeowners might think – they can occur for various reasons and range in severity from mild to catastrophic. But even the mild surges can do plenty of damage to the home’s electronics over time.
That’s why it’s so important for homeowners to protect against the dangers of power surges. Between the holiday lights, visiting family, increasing energy usage, and winter storms, the holidays are the perfect time to take action. This article will explain the dangers of power surges and how surge protectors can help homeowners avoid their negative effects!
Why Power Surges Are Dangerous
A power surge, often called transient voltage, is a sudden, unexpected increase in voltage running through a circuit. Power surges can occur for several reasons and from various sources.
Smaller power surges can occur when a refrigerator or HVAC compressor kicks on, or smaller appliances like microwaves or blow dryers are used. These small surges can occur thousands of times each day. Larger power surges can occur when lightning strikes a utility pole or power station, tree limbs fall on power lines, transformers blow, or power is restored after a blackout.
A large power surge can instantly fry the internal circuitry of any device or appliance connected to the affected circuit and the wiring and outlets that comprise the circuit. In some cases, power surges can even start electrical fires. Smaller power surges aren’t typically as dramatic, but they can gradually degrade electrical circuitry over time, potentially destroying electronic devices.
The Benefits of a Whole Home Surge Protector
Since power surges are common and can cause much damage, many homeowners wisely employ surge protectors. A surge protector acts as a buffer against the increased voltage of an electric surge. Essentially, a surge protector absorbs any excess voltage flowing through the circuit and diverts it to the home’s grounding system, where it is safely discharged.
Most people are probably familiar with surge protector strips, essentially power strips with built-in surge protection. These can offer some level of protection for any devices plugged into them. But a whole-house surge protector is a better bet for more robust and versatile protection against power surges.
Whole home surge protectors connect directly to the home’s electrical panel and protect all of the home’s circuits from power surges, rather than just those devices plugged into surge protector strips. They are also designed to handle much higher voltages, offering greater protection against major surges.
Signs a Surge Protector Needs To Be Replaced
No matter what types of surge protectors homeowners use, it’s important to remember that they are perishable devices. Every surge protector has a set number of joules (a unit of electrical energy) that it can withstand before becoming useless. After reaching that limit, it will no longer offer protection against surges.
Of course, it’s not always easy to tell when a surge protector has reached the end of its useful lifespan. As a rule of thumb, most whole-house surge protectors should be replaced every 3-5 years (or sooner if the area has seen a lot of thunderstorms). Some surge protectors have warning lights that turn on or off when replacing the unit. Some power strip surge protectors will simply stop providing power to devices when the protection has expired. When in doubt, homeowners should consult with their preferred electrician to determine whether they need a surge protector replacement!
About Atlas Home Service
Since its founding in 2011, Atlas Home Service has become one of Alexandria's most trusted and highly-rated home service companies. Their licensed, insured technicians are all background-checked and drug-tested for every customer's safety and peace of mind. Atlas offers transparent up-front pricing, free in-home quotes, flexible financing, and emergency service – so don’t hesitate to call them for whole home surge protector installation in Alexandria, LA!
