Are you purchasing new electronics this holiday season? If yes, then you want to make sure you protect them. Any device that has to be plugged into the wall can encounter an electrical surge which shortens its life span. Which is why Tim Kyle residential electrical service for Owings Mills can assist you with your surge protection needs.
What Are Surges and Can You Prevent Them?
Surges can be caused by lightning, a fallen branch, refrigerators, air conditioners, and the electrical company if they are switching grids. Power surges occur when the flow of electricity is interrupted. During a surge, the voltage exceeds 169 volts which is above an appliance’s normal voltage. A power surge can also harm your outlets and circuit breakers.
Surge Protection Tips
There a few precautions you can take when it comes to preventing a surge.
1. Unplug devices when they are not in use. It’s likely that you will have appliances such as a toaster plugged in even though you are not using it. If there is a storm, it’s a good idea to unplug as many sensitive appliances as possible to protect them from a power surge.
2. Inspect your wiring. If you notice any faulty wiring, this can make the power surge worse. It’s important to get the wiring fixed by a professional as soon as possible.
3. Invest in surge protection. Surge protectors work by diverting the extra voltage to the grounding wire inside the surge protector. You can purchase either a surge protection strip or a whole-home surge processor. A surge protection strip will prevent excess voltage from reaching specific electronics or appliances. The surge protection strips do not offer as much support as a home-surge processor does.
Investing in a whole-home surge processor is the best way to protect your electronics. In fact, it does it more than just protect your electronics. It protects your home’s entire electrical system from surges. The home surge processor is installed at the primary breaker box between the home’s electrical system and the grid. Thus, it will prevent the power surge from reaching the main system.
Tim Kyle: Residential Electrical Service Owings Mills
Looking for a professional to install surge protection in your home? Contact Tim Kyle Electric today for more information!