How to Protect Your Home from a Power Surge

Power surges can cause devastating damage to your home. So, what can you do to protect yourself? It all starts with knowledge – understanding power surges, when they’re most likely to occur, and how they work. With this information in hand, you’ll be able to create a plan that helps safeguard your home and property from unexpected surges of electricity.

1. What is a power surge?

A power surge is a sudden and intense increase in electricity that flows through your home’s wiring. These surges can damage your electrical appliances, melt wires, and even start fires.

Most power surges are caused by storms or faulty equipment. But did you know that even something as simple as turning on a large appliance can cause a power surge?

To protect your home from power surges, you need to understand what they are and how they work. With that knowledge, you can take steps to safeguard your home and protect your belongings. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about power surges and how to protect your home from them.

2. Surges happen during sudden, high-demand periods

Power surges can occur during a sudden high-demand period when more electricity is needed than can be supplied. During these periods, the power system has to increase the output to meet the demand. This creates overloads, which can cause dramatic surges of electricity to flow through your home’s wiring system.

Your home’s wiring and electrical appliances are not designed to withstand these kinds of high voltages. Even a seemingly harmless power surge can cause significant damage to your wiring, appliances, and other electronics.

To protect your home from these surges, you need to install a surge protection device. This device monitors the current in your home’s electrical wiring and immediately shuts off the power if it detects a power surge.

A surge protection device also helps to protect your appliances and electronics. If you have any expensive electronics such as computers or televisions, you must use surge protection to protect them from power spikes.

3. Common causes of power surges

The most common causes of power surges include:

1. Lightning Strikes – Lightning has enough energy to create significant power surges that can destroy your electronics and wiring.

2. Electrical Usage – When appliances like air conditioners, washers, and dryers suddenly turn on or turn off, they cause small surges. The more of these appliances you have in your home, the higher the risk of a power surge occurring.

3. Fluctuations in Power – When the power changes from the utility, it can cause power surges. If a utility changes the voltage or frequency of the power, it can cause problems for your wiring and appliances.

4. Wiring Issues – Poorly wired connections from the utility to your home can cause surges in the wiring. Dirt and debris can also cause problems, leading to power surges.

It’s important to note that these are just some of the causes of power surges. There can be many other causes that may need to be addressed.

How to Protect Your Home from a Power Surge

4. Negative effects of a power surge on your home

Power surges can have devastating effects on your home’s electronics and wiring. They can damage the wiring, appliances, and all other electrical components. The cost of replacing the damaged equipment and wiring can add up quickly.

Power surges can also cause a significant safety hazard. There is a possibility that the excessive power could cause wiring to overheat and even start a fire. It is important to be aware of the dangers of power surges, so you can take steps to protect your home.

In addition to the physical damage, a power surge can cause a loss of data. Any data stored on computers, electronics, or hard drives can be lost. There is no easy way to restore lost data, so the damage can be very costly in this area as well.

Finally, power surges can create additional energy costs. The sudden change in power could cause your electrical system or wires to have to work harder, consuming more energy and resulting in higher electricity bills.

5. How to know if your home is at risk

Power surges are unpredictable and can happen suddenly with no signs of activity from the power grid. It is important to know the signs that indicate a power surge. Here are some signs to be aware of:

1. Flickering lights – If your lights are flickering or dimming, it could signal an impending power surge.

2. Unusually high electricity bills – If your electricity bills are suddenly higher than usual, it may be caused by a power surge.

3. Fried electronics – Damaged or fried appliances or electronics are a sign that a power surge has occurred.

4. Burning smell or strange noises coming from outlets – Unusual burning odors or popping noises coming from electrical outlets may indicate that a power surge has occurred.

When power surges occur, they can do tremendous damage to your home. It is important to be aware of the signs so you can take appropriate steps to protect your home.

6. Protecting your home from a power surge

It is important to take steps to protect your home from a power surge as soon as possible. There are a few precautions you can take to protect your home from a power surge:

1. Install surge protectors – One of the most effective and least expensive ways to protect your home from a power surge is to install surge protectors. Surge protectors will help divert any incoming power surges away from your electronics, protecting your home from any potential damage.

2. Get a whole-home power surge protector – Whole-home power surge protectors are designed to protect your entire home from a power surge. These are more effective than surge protectors as they protect all the electrical appliances in your home from a power surge, not just individual electronics.

3. Unplug electronics – If a power surge occurs, unplugging your appliances immediately can minimize the damage. Some power surge protectors come with an easy-to-reach outlet control switch, which triggers when a power surge occurs and shuts off power to connected appliances.

4. Inspect wiring and replace outlets if necessary – Damaged wiring or faulty electrical outlets can increase the risk of a power surge. Make sure to inspect your wiring and replace any damaged wiring or outlets if necessary.

Following these steps to protect your home from a power surge will help to minimize the damage that can be caused by a power surge.

How to Protect Your Home from a Power Surge

7. Ways to prevent power surges

Aside from protecting your home from a power surge, it is also important to take steps to prevent power surges from happening in the first place. Here are a few steps you can take to help prevent power surges:

1. Avoid using too many power strips – Power strips can overload if too many electronics are plugged in, leading to an overload and potentially a power surge. Only use as many power strips as you need and make sure to unplug any unneeded power strips when not in use.

2. Use energy efficient appliances – Energy efficient appliances are designed to limit power consumption and therefore can help to prevent power surges.

3. Have your home’s wiring inspected regularly – Old wiring or damaged wiring can increase the chance of a power surge. Make sure to have your home’s wiring inspected regularly.

Following these steps will help to minimize the chance of a power surge, keeping your home safe from potential damage.

8. Conclusion

Power surges can cause a lot of damage if they are not prevented. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to protect your home and reduce the chance of a power surge. Follow these steps and you can protect your electronics and home from a power surge:

1. Invest in a surge protector for all electronics.

2. Unplug electronics during storms.

3. Avoid using too many power strips.

4. Keep your distance from lightning.

5. Use energy-efficient appliances.

6. Have your home’s wiring inspected regularly.

7. Avoid plugging in large or high-power electronics.

8. Use a transition voltage protection system to protect your home from power surges caused by switchgear.

Taking these steps will reduce the chances of power surges damaging your home and electronics. However, it is also important to be prepared for the worst and protect your electronics with a surge protector. Being prepared is the best way to ensure your electronics and home are safe from power surges.

Toth Electric is here to protect your home from electrical surges and provide you with a sense of security. We offer free estimates and are available to answer any questions you have regarding out services. Contact us today for the assurance that your home is safe from power surges!