Our lives have become utterly dependent on electrical appliances in the house. Computers, TVs, stereos, microwaves, DVD players and the like are in constant use, but as long as they’re operating right, we tend to neglect protecting them from the invisible threat of power surges.

A power surge decreases the lifespan of appliances

A power surge or power spike occurs when there is a substantial increase in voltage in the flow of electricity, the usual voltage in homes and offices in the U.S. being 120 volts. A power surge can originate outside your home, most commonly when lightning strikes an electrical power line, sending a massive jolt of electricity down the power line and destroying electrical components inside appliances. Most of us are aware of the threat of lightning strikes to home electronics, and we sometimes take pre-emptive measures against them, like unplugging appliances when we leave the home for long periods of time.

However, there is another type of power surge that we are often unaware of: the daily power surge coming from turning electrical systems on and off, a smaller scale but equally threatening type that gradually wears down electrical components inside the equipment. Surge suppressors are ideal for protecting your home from both the power surge caused by lightning and the power surge that is continuously hitting your appliances and decreasing their useful lives.

Surge protector: indispensable protection for your home

The most common types of surge protection, although we’re often unaware of them, are point-of-use surge protectors, like grounded electrical outlets and power strips with built-in surge protection. Older buildings rarely have grounded electrical outlets, and the problem with power strips is that while we assume they come with built-in surge protection, this is usually not the case. Furthermore, point-of-use surge protectors rarely provide enough protection against powerful surges in power, like when a lightning strikes. The undoubtedly best surge protector is therefore a whole house surge protector, installed in the main electrical panel or electrical meter of your home, and it simultaneously provides surge protection for the entire house and all electrical equipment within.

Why go for a whole house surge protector?

Installing a comprehensive surge protection system like a whole house surge protector obviously requires an initial investment, but if your LCD TV or brand new computer breaks down because of a power surge, or in the worst case, if an appliance bursts into flames threatening all your possessions, the material damages are extremely high. A whole house surge protector is in essence an insurance for all your appliances at once, and is more reliable than simple point-of-use surge suppressors. As with all electrical work, a qualified electrician is required to install a whole house surge protector. Online local listings are a great resource for finding reliable electricians in your area. Once the surge protector is in place, you can have a good night’s sleep knowing your valuable electronics are safe.

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This entry was posted on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 5:05 pm and is filed under Electrical . You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.