Protect Your Electronics and Appliances with Surge Protection
Springtime means warmer weather and blooming flowers. The season also brings thunderstorms, and lightning occasionally brings unwelcome electricity to your home. When lightning strikes, it may damage expensive appliances and electronic devices that are plugged into your outlets. However, electrical surges aren’t all caused by lightning. The following discusses essential surge protection basics. Consult with a local licensed electrical service company to get the best results for your home and safety.
Whole House Surge Protectors
It is important to protect appliances and electronics from damaging electrical surges, which are spikes in voltage entering your home. Such spikes are typically caused by the power grid, electrical problems within a home, or lightning. Whole house surge protectors are built to regulate electricity entering the entire house. As voltage rises, a surge protector will direct excess voltage into the ground and away from electronic devices and appliances. A whole house surge protector is typically installed within the main electrical panel, where it can stop an electrical surge before it spreads to other areas of a home.
Owning a desktop computer, laptop, television, air conditioner, refrigerator, and other appliances makes the investment in a whole house surge protector advisable. A small surge can damage and decrease the service life of electrical equipment. Whole house surge protection is affordable and provides the necessary protection for expensive electrical devices.
Secondary Protection Needed
Keep in mind that a whole house surge protector does not render secondary surge protection unnecessary for sensitive equipment. When there is a lightning strike, its electricity does not always invade a house via power lines. It may take alternate paths, such as phone lines or cables. In such an event, lightning can harm sensitive equipment prior to its electrical surge entering the main panel. This makes the use of secondary surge protection, such as those provided by high-quality power strips with a rating of at least 3000 joules, for sensitive electrical equipment very important in lightning-prone areas.
Electrical Peace of Mind
Providing professional electricians since 1988 in Maryland, Cook Electric is the company you can rely on for all your electrical service needs, including:
- Commercial & Residential Electrical Installations
- Marina & Residential Pier Wiring
- Electrical Service & Repair
- Specialty Electrical Services
For knowledgeable, fair, honest, reliable, and conscientious service, call Cook Electric today at (410) 266-9040. They will be very glad to help you for your home surge protection basics. Consult with a licensed and experienced electrical services professional.