Surge protection is a wonderful way to improve your electrical system’s safety. It intercepts and redirects sudden, dangerous voltage spikes. By directing these power surges into the ground, your appliances, wiring, and electronics will avoid damage. Find out more about how surge protection works and the benefits of investing in it today.
Safety and Operational Benefits
When there’s a high-voltage surge of power, your internal wiring can overheat, which may cause insulation to burst into flames. Surge protection helps control these voltage spikes. This reduces the likelihood of fire. Since most homes have more electronic devices than ever, the risk of power surges has never been higher.
Small, frequent power surges can also harm your major appliances, including your dryer, heat pump, and refrigerator. These surges cause appliances to cycle on and off, which leads to wear and tear. Surge protection reduces this damage, helping ensure that your large appliance enjoys a long lifespan.
When you take advantage of a whole-home surge protector, you’ll be shielding your hardwired components. This includes light switches, outlets, and HVAC systems. A plug-in strip won’t offer this level of protection.
If you work from home, surge protection is especially important. It prevents unplanned downtime due to sudden voltage spikes. Surge protection also keeps critical infrastructures, such as servers and security systems, stable.
How Surge Protection Works
Surge protection systems usually use gas discharge tubes (GDTs) or metal oxide varistors (MOVs). Under normal conditions, the surge protection device stays in a passive state. It allows the standard current to flow. When something like lightning or a grid switch causes a power surge, it detects the excess voltage. It instantly switches to a low-resistance state. All of that extra power is safely diverted into a grounding system.
A Layered Plan
Many experts recommend a layered approach to surge protection. Surge protection installed at your main panel will stop large external surges from nearby lightning or your utility grid. Protection at the distribution panel protects the individual circuits within your home from internal and external surges. There’s also point-of-use surge protection, which is your power strips. These create a final line of defense for your highly sensitive electronics.
If your home experiences frequent power surges, you’ll want to capitalize on this protection. Your local electrician can help you find the perfect surge protection system for your home’s needs. As a result, you’ll know that your electronic devices and major appliances will avoid harm during a sudden voltage spike. If you live in Pueblo, CO or a surrounding area and need surge protection services, make your first call to R Buck Heating.