3 Things to Consider with Whole House Surge Protectors
It isn’t often that you think about the integrity of your electrical systems. After all, power surges and the degradation of your appliances is a lot less evident than a broken A/C unit. However, a fried circuit breaker can be incredibly expensive and damaging to your home. Whole house surge protectors are a great way to avoid electrical catastrophes. Here are a few things to consider when purchasing one for your household.
What exactly is a whole house surge protector?
A whole house surge protector is an industrial solution to protecting against surges in your home. In other words, it’s a heavy-duty way to keep your electronics and appliances safe. There is a common misperception that these protectors only shield you from lightning strikes or heavy duty shocks. However, they also protect from internal surges in your home. While the cost can vary depending on the unit you purchase, installation is relatively simple. The device is usually hard-wired right into your electrical box during installation. To ensure that it is properly installed and grounded, hire a qualified electrician. Remember, don’t “DIY” this project unless you want to fry!
What do they protect against?
Believe it or not, lightning strikes are not the biggest danger to electronics and lighting systems in your home. Over 80 percent of surges are short, intense bursts from systems within your house. Over time these small bursts of energy can degrade the microprocessors and efficiency of your electrical appliances. There are some other things you can do to be mindful of your electrical system, but certain things (like these surges!) just cannot be prevented easily. In a time when we have more electronics than ever, this can be worrisome.
Luckily, whole house surge protectors safeguard your outlets from these small bursts. More often than not these surges actually come from your larger appliances. Because these machines are frequently on dedicated circuits, they must loop back through your main breaker panel where the surge protector will be installed. The protector will halt the surge and protect all of your devices from damage. Surges that are larger than these transient bursts most often come from overvoltage’s in utility lines. Luckily, your whole house surge protectors will defend your electronics from these as well.
What to look for…
So now you want to upgrade your home with a fancy surge protector, what next? First thing’s first, always check with an electrician. SameDay provides a comprehensive suite of electrical services including whole house surge protection, and one of the first things we check is whether your house has subpanels. This can alter what type of surge protector you will want to purchase. For most homes, you will be fully protected with an 80kA rated protector. However, there are always other factors to consider, so allow for an inspection of your electrical system before making any decisions.
Whole house surge protectors can save your electronic devices and appliances from permanent damage.
To learn more about SameDay’s electrical services and options, give us a call at (801) 726-3329, and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook & Twitter!
