It’s Never Too Early For Surge Protectors
Storm season is almost upon us and it is going to be electrifying! As a home owner, one of the best steps you could take to save your household appliances and other electronics from being electri-fried, is to invest in whole home surge protection. Surge protectors negate the effects of voltage or power spikes in your electrical circuit and protect your appliances and electronics. Unfortunately, when your home experiences a surge in electrical current, the current flows throughout the wiring in your home and directly into your appliances. While surges are short lived, the damage that they can cause is not.
How Do Power Surges Happen?
Your household can experience a power surge from one of the home appliances that draws a lot of power such as your HVAC system, refrigerator, or even thermostat. These are some of the more common internal causes of a power surges – the after effects of which are not as obvious as external causes, but if left unattended over a long period of time will lead to major damage to other appliances. The worst part is, you can never tell which appliance will be affected and when – you may be okay with losing your hairdryer, but you certainly won’t feel the same if your laptop blew.
An external source of a power surge (which are more common during the South Florida rainy and hurricane season), includes lightning strikes. Lightning strikes can have a severe effect on your household electrical circuit and can happen in two ways. The first being a direct strike or contact with your household electrical system and the second is a lightning strike at a local power station. The latter causes a ripple effect through an entire neighborhood, but both instances could possibly damage all your household appliances and electronics without surge protection.
The Importance of Household Surge Protectors
Due to the unpredictability of surges, without a surge protector, you will never be able to negate the effects of a power surge. They occur as fast as lightning and the damage that is left behind can take you a while to repair. You may not even be aware that previous surges have started the deterioration process of most of your electronics, one more surge and your electronics could be destroyed. If your household’s electrical system is not properly grounded and if you don’t have surge protectors, you will end up losing some of your electronics and a power surge could even cause an outlet to spark which can lead to an electrical fire.
A Professional Installation vs A DIY Hack
You cannot, attempt to protect your home appliances and electronics from a surge, by using a power strip. Any form of DIY trick, tip or hack can backfire in the worst possible way. It is important that you get a licensed electrician to install proper surge protectors in your home for whole home protection. A licensed and insured electrician can give you the necessary peace of mind that all your household appliances and electronics will be safe from sudden power surges.
Secure Your Household
Don’t let your appliances and electronics become a victim to unpredictable weather this year. Whole home surge protection may be an investment, but it is a lot more cost effective than having to replace all your damaged appliances and electronics. If you have any questions or concerns about potential power surges or surge protectors, don’t hesitate to give us a call, as our friendly and reliable team at Art Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electric have you covered. Our team has the necessary skills to ensure that your home is protected during this upcoming storm season.