As easy as it is to blame power surges on storms, the fact
is that storms are only a small part of the problem. Power surges occur when
there is an increased demand for energy and it causes a sudden spike in the
flow of electricity. This spike can destroy electrical circuitry throughout
your home—damaging appliances and other important electronic equipment.
Storm season plays a role, but power surges can occur from
something seemingly benign, like your powerful furnace cycling on. The Maynard
Man is here to tell you about the risks these power surges bring to your home!
Risk #1: Damaging Your Electrical System
The main function of surge protection, which we’ll talk
about more below, is that it prevents your home’s entire electric system from
power surges. When a surge occurs from a home appliance—like your HVAC
system—it sends the surge back through the breaker panel. The breaker panel
protects all your other electrical equipment, and whole-house surge protection
makes sure it’s able to do so.
Risk #2: Damaging Electronics
Think about the amount of electronic devices and
electrically powered appliances in your household. You probably have quite a
lot! After all, in the last decade there has been an increase in the amount of
high-tech personal appliances, gaming systems, entertainment systems and more.
These systems all require protection! Your electronics and appliances each have
their own circuit boards that are slowly damaged over time by power surges.
Risk #3: Wasting Money
This all comes down to money. If a power surge, or more
likely a series of power surges over the years, wipes out an appliance far
before its expected lifespan that means you’re spending money you weren’t
expecting. If your entire breaker panel is damaged, that means an unexpected panel
upgrade for you. While these are expenses every homeowner may eventually face,
you don’t want them prematurely.
“Okay, So What Do I Do to Protect My Home?”
Whole-house surge protection is going to be your best bet.
That’s not your only option, though. You can have smaller surge protectors
installed with your major appliances. They resemble power strips, but diver
excess electricity to the outlet’s ground wire so your appliance or electronic
is unaffected.
Purchasing multiple surge protectors, however, can be a costly endeavor. It often makes the most send to go with a whole-house surge protector. This way you can protect all your appliances at once, by diverting power surges to the ground wire directly from the central service panel.
Need a Helping Hand, Call the Maynard Man! We are The Clean Air, Clean Water, Clean Energy Expert. Contact us when you need a professional electrician in Nashville or the surrounding area.
