When your electrical system receives a power surge, it can wreak havoc on your electrical devices and appliances. A surge protector is your first line of defense against this unfortunate situation. Below, we share some of our best tips for choosing the right surge protector for your home.
What Is a Surge Protector and How Does It Work?
A surge protector is an electrical device that suppresses voltage spikes to protect wiring and electrical equipment further down the line. If there is a power surge due to a nasty thunderstorm that rips through your area, your surge protector will absorb that excess energy and divert it to your grounding wire, releasing the excess energy into the ground.
Types of Surge Protectors
Most people are familiar with power strip surge protectors. These are rectangular devices that plug into an existing outlet and have multiple outlets that you can plug your appliances into. The strip itself is responsible for absorbing power surges and protecting your devices. While these power strips can be easily installed, they don’t offer much protection.
Whole-home surge protectors are the gold standard in this day and age. Instead of having multiple power strips throughout your home trying to protect your devices, you can have one device that protects your entire electrical system from surges caused by lightning strikes that can cause so much expensive damage. Unlike power strips that plug into a typical 110-volt wall outlet, a whole-home surge protector is installed in your electrical panel box. This way, it can protect all the devices and appliances throughout your home at once.
Top Things to Look For
When choosing a new whole-home surge protector, it’s imperative that you ensure whatever unit you go with has three main features. These include a feasible absorption rate, NEMA rating, and non-operational warning feature. Each whole-home surge protector will be given an absorption rating known as its absorption capacity. This number indicates up to what amperage the surge protector can successfully absorb to prevent the excess power from traveling further down your electrical system.
With lightning strikes being the most prominent cause of a power surge, a surge protector should be capable of withstanding the power from a lightning strike. Ideally, this will be 40,000 amps. Some rare lightning strikes have exceeded this threshold. However, they’re very uncommon, and there are no surge protectors built to withstand their strong amperage.
The next thing you’ll want to look for is a NEMA rating. NEMA stands for National Electric Manufacturers Association, and their rating system gives homeowners added information about the power of a potential surge protection device. Ratings range from a low of one to a high of four, with four providing the greatest level of protection. Any whole-home surge protector you purchase should have a NEMA rating to show its quality level.
Lastly, you’ll want to ensure that your new surge protector has an indicator to alert you when the unit is faulty. These units can come with a simple light that changes color when the unit is not functioning correctly. Or, they can come with a built-in alarm that will go off when the unit is unable to function correctly. Getting a whole-home surge protector that has this malfunction indicator can be extremely helpful as it will allow you to get the unit fixed quickly, so you never have to deal with the negative effects of a power surge on your appliances and other electronic devices.
The Many Benefits of a Whole-Home Surge Protector
The top benefit of a whole-home surge protector is that it ads a layer of protection for your home’s entire electrical system and everything plugged into it. You don’t have to worry about your appliances or other electrical devices getting damaged when power surges caused by lightning happen. A whole-home surge protector goes a long way in protecting the overall lifespan of your appliances and devices. Plus, it provides you as a homeowner with peace of mind about your home’s electrical system and your expensive appliances.
Reliable Whole-Home Surge Protector Service
GVEC Electrician Services offers reliable surge protector services to Cuero, Gonzales, Seguin and New Bruanfels, TX and the surrounding areas. We can also assist with all your wiring, electrical panel, inspections, interior lighting, exterior lighting, generators, battery back-up power and EV charging station needs. Simply call us today to schedule a service appointment.
