Home Surge Protection

A power surge refers to an increase in voltage that substantially exceeds the standard designated flow of electricity — 120 volts. At a basic level, the wiring overheats and starts to burn. Homes, businesses, offices and other environments have an abundance of important and expensive electronic equipment or appliances, including personal computers, phones, fax machines, stereos, TVs, microwaves that can benefit from surge protection.

Many of these items have circuitry or microchips that are overly sensitive to fluctuations in voltage. Even a slight surge or spike power surge can put a strain on the system, compromise its performance, or completely destroy it.

What causes power surges?

One of the most common reasons for power surges is the operation of heavy duty electrical devices. Refrigerators, air conditioners, and elevators are just a few appliances that require a significant amount of electricity to switch motors and compressors on and off.

Toggling high-power electrical equipment and devices can create swift, fleeting demands for electricity, and disrupt the constant flow of voltage in the electrical system.

The following sources can also cause power surges:

  • Faulty electrical wiring
  • Down power lines
  • Problems with utility company’s lines, transformers and other components
  • Lighting also causes power surges but does not occur as frequently. Lighting may increase electrical pressure in wiring by millions of volts, overwhelming even the best surge protector.

Whole House Surge Protectors

A power surge can follow any wire into a home and threaten phone, computers, televisions and other equipment. Many homeowners have a false assumption that surge protection is simply a matter of plugging their devices into a low-cost, multi-outlet surge suppressor.

If you want to protect devices plugged into outlets anywhere in the home, install a whole home surge protection system. This protection must be hard-wired into the main electrical panel by a licensed electrician. Use smaller whole house surge protection for delicate circuitry, telephone and cable lines.

Use the multi-outlet power strip surge protection as your backup to absorb any excess power that seeps through the primary protection.

 

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