If you’re like most Northeast Ohio homeowners, you probably have a few power strips scattered around your house. Many of these power strips advertise “surge protection.” That might give you a sense of security that your expensive electronics are safe from electrical spikes.
While power strips with surge protection can help, they have limits. If you want to stay protected, you need whole-home surge protection.
How Power Strips Work
Power strips are a huge convenience. They give you extra outlets for all your gadgets. Many of the strips are also used to protect devices during an unexpected increase in power. However, just because a power strip claims to have surge protection doesn’t mean it can handle every type of surge that comes its way.
Most surge-protected power strips use a metal oxide varistor (MOV). With that, it absorbs excess voltage and prevents it from reaching your devices. This works well for small, everyday fluctuations like when your air conditioner cycles on or off. However, if there’s a major power surge from a lightning strike or a utility grid issue, many power strips will be unable to handle it.
All power strips have a limited lifespan. Each time they absorb a surge, their MOV components degrade. In turn, that reduces their ability to protect your devices. Over time, a power strip may no longer offer protection. You might be using these strips, thinking your devices are protected. In reality, they might be useless at keeping your appliances safe.
What Whole-Home Surge Protection Does Differently
A whole-home surge protector stops the big threats before they even get inside. Instead of just protecting a few devices, it shields your entire home from dangerous voltage spikes that could fry your appliances, electronics, and even your HVAC system.
Here are a few reasons why whole-home surge protectors are a game-changer and why adding one to your home is one of the smartest decisions you can make.
Protects Everything in Your Home
Many systems in your home, such as built-in lighting, HVAC systems, large appliances, and certain smart home devices, are either hardwired directly into your home’s electrical infrastructure or plugged into standard outlets. While smaller electronics are connected to surge protectors, these larger systems are not always protected.
Even when these appliances or system are connected into outlets, they may not be plugged into surge protectors or may not have adequate protection in place. Without surge protection installed at the electrical panel level, these systems can be vulnerable to damage from these surges.
Handles the Big Surges
Power strips with surge protection are great for handling small, everyday fluctuations, like when your microwave temporarily spikes the power. Remember that a standard power strip cannot handle a high voltage level. Most surge strips are usually rated for around 1,000 to 3,000 joules of protection. On the other hand, a whole-home surge protector is designed to handle tens of thousands of amps. There are even some as high as 80,000 amps.
Helps Your Electronics Last Longer
Most power surges do not cause instant failure. However, they slowly wear down your electronics over time. All that wear and tear eventually causes things to break.
You might notice that your TV flickers or the refrigerator is not as cold as before. These little problems might seem like normal wear and tear. Sometimes, they are caused by repeated power fluctuations damaging internal components. A whole-home surge protector smooths out these fluctuations. As a result, that reduces the stress on your devices and helps them last longer.
How Does Home Surge Protection Work?
A whole-home surge protector detects excessive voltage spikes and diverts excess energy before it can reach your devices. This surge protection is installed directly at your electrical panel. There are a few steps in the process that help keep your home safe from the unexpected.
Step 1: Detection of Voltage Spikes
The surge protector continuously monitors the electrical current flowing into your home. When a surge occurs, it immediately detects excessive voltage and starts the steps to protect your electrical system.
Step 2: Excess Voltage Diversion
Once the surge protector senses a spike, it redirects the excess electricity away from your home’s wiring. Those power surges will enter into the grounding system. With that, it provides a safe path for excess energy to dissipate. Depending on the surge protector, it may use components like metal oxide varistors or gas discharge tubes (GDTs). These will absorb and reroute the surge without affecting normal electrical flow in your home.
Step 3: Clamping the Voltage
Surge protectors have a “clamping voltage.” This is when the system activates to block excess voltage. Lower clamping voltages provide better protection. It can react faster and allow less energy surge to pass through your system.
Step 4: Layered Protection
If you want optimal protection, whole-house surge protectors should be paired with point-of-use surge protectors at individual outlets. These give an extra layer of protection for sensitive electronics like TVs, computers, and gaming systems. This setup can prevent even minor fluctuations from causing long-term damage.
Is Whole-Home Surge Protection Worth It?
If you’ve never had a major power surge damage your home, you might assume it won’t happen to you. Power surges are more common than you might think. It only takes one big spike to cause thousands of dollars in damage.
A whole-home surge protector is a one-time investment that can save you from the headache and expense of replacing fried appliances and electronics. This is one of the easiest ways to safeguard your electrical system. In turn, you can keep your devices running for years to come.
If you’ve relied on power strips until now, consider the added protection of a whole-home surge protector. This is an essential upgrade that gives you peace of mind. You can relax knowing your home is protected from the unexpected.
Hire an Electrician to Install a Whole-Home Surge Protector
Installing a whole-home surge protector is not a DIY project. This device connects directly to your electrical panel. The installation process requires the right training and knowledge to connect it. Unfortunately, one wrong move can lead to electrocution, fire hazards, or damage to your home’s electrical system.
A professional electrician will assess your home’s electrical setup and recommend a surge protector that matches your power needs. They will install the device to integrate with your panel and grounding system.
Additionally, they will verify that your electrical panel is in good condition and can support the added protection. If upgrades or modifications are needed, you can be assured that they will be handled in a safe manner.
If you’re ready to protect your home from damaging power surges, our licensed local electrician can walk you through your options and help you find the best solution for your needs and budget. When you need a professional and reliable team, turn to Beck Electric, Generators & Plumbing in Canton, OH. We provide expert electrical, generator, and surge protection services to keep your home safe. Contact Beck Electric, Generators & Plumbing today for all your electrical needs!
