When storms approach, many people grow concerned. Some of the top concerns include losing power and lightning striking and damaging their home appliances and electronic devices.
If you are like most people, chances are you have more than a few electronic devices installed in your home. When they are plugged in, the potential for damage from a lightning strike is real, but avoidable. By investing in whole house power and data surge protection, you can safeguard all of the plugged in devices and appliances in your home.
Understanding Whole House Surge Protection
When you invest in whole house surge protection, it only allows the electricity you need to enter the home. It also protects your devices from issues that may arise from surges inside the home. In most cases, whole house surge protective devices are wired into the home’s electrical service box and located in a strategic position to provide protection for all the electrical systems and appliances in your home.
Homes Need Whole House Surge Protection
Quite a bit has changed in recent years. There are more electronics and LED lights in homes than ever before. Appliances such as washers and dryers are now built with circuit boards so there are many more items that need to be protected from power surges than what was present in the past. If you don’t invest in whole house surge protector, there is the potential for serious issues to arise.
Lighting isn’t the Biggest Danger
The majority of people believe that the only surges come from lightning. However, about 80% of surges are due to short, intense bursts that are created by appliances and devices used in the home. Motors such as the ones in an AC and other appliances can introduce small surges into your home’s electrical lines. It is very rare that a single surge, such as one produced by lightning, is going to take out your appliances; however, the mini-surges throughout the years can add up. They degrade the performance of your electronics and reduce their lifespan.
Over voltages present in utility lines may also harm systems in your home. This is another reason that whole house surge protection is necessary at your electrical service panel. The truth is, there is virtually no type of surge protection available to reduce the harm caused by a direct lightning strike. If you are concerned about this, consider installing lightning rods.
Protect Other Appliances with Whole House Surge Protection
You may wonder why you should bother with whole-house surge protection at your breaker panel if the harmful surges are created by appliances such as the AC. The answer is that a system that is on a dedicated circuit, such as the AC, is going to redirect the surge back to the breaker panel. At this point, it is shunted to ensure other devices in the home are protected.
If you are interested in whole house surge protection, contact the team at Teague Electric today. They can evaluate your needs and ensure you get the protection you need.
