A power surge occurs when briefs jolts of high electrical voltage run through your home’s wiring. Overloaded outlets or circuits and damaged or exposed wiring cause surges. Surges can also be caused by lightning strikes and power outages. Power surges can damage your electrical outlets, appliances, and electronics and ultimately may cause dangerous electrical fires.
Whole Home Surge Protection
Being proactive against the causes of power surges can potentially save your electronics, but more importantly, your life. The following effective solutions will protect your home’s electronics from power surges:
- Obtain an electrical energy audit. This will determine the demand of heat and electricity in your home in order to find ways to reduce consumption.
- Use surge protecting power strips in the home. A power strip provides a quick and cheap method. A power strip contains a circuit breaker of some sort, however most don’t offer complete protection from electrical issues.
- Install a whole home surge protection device in your electrical panel. A more robust solution, whole home surge protection installs directly into the electric panel. It engages before the voltage spike spreads through your homes wiring, hence offering greater protection for your appliances than individual protection strips.
- Install GFCI outlets throughout your home. New kitchens and bathrooms require GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlets. These outlets monitor the electricity flowing into and out of each socket and shuts off the flow if the difference exceeds a preset amount.
- Install an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS). A UPS is type of large power strip that contains a backup battery. If any problems are detected in the incoming voltage (which includes both surges and power outages), then the battery engages, allowing you to operate the appliance without interruption. This is especially useful for protecting desktop computers from outages.
Contact Your Local Electrician
It is important that you obtain advice for your electrical requirements from a reputable and trusted electrical service provider. Tim Kyle Electric provides residential and commercial services to Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Howard, Harford, and Montgomery Counties. If you are looking for an electrical energy audit in Carroll County, MD, contact Tim Kyle today.