We’ve all had it happen at some point or other – you’re enjoying your favorite show or working online and out of the blue, every light and plugged in electronic in your home shuts off. As the name suggests, power surges occur when electrical power surges higher than normal, causing your power to kick off. Power surges can be caused by anything from electrical overload to faulty wiring or even a mild lightning storm. While having your lights shut off briefly may not sound like anything serious, power surges can completely destroy your electronics, appliances, or even cause an electrical fire in severe cases. Below are a few of simple ways you can keep your home safe when power surges occur!
Unplug Electronics During Storms
While you obviously can’t unplug every electronic in your home during a lightning storm, you can reduce the risk of damage to other smaller devices, like computers, consoles, and televisions, by simply unplugging the device at the first sign of lightning.
Unplugging electronics during a storm is a quick, easy way to keep those items safe, at least from harsh weather.
Always Use Surge Protectors
By far one of the most effective means of keeping your electronics safe when power surges occur is by having them plugged into surge protectors.
Simple household surge protectors can be almost anywhere nowadays. They are one of the most common forms of surge protection and a great, inexpensive way to protect those gadgets.
What Is a Surge Protector?
Surge protectors are power strips, typically featuring several plugs for use with multiple devices, that work by redirecting any higher voltage of power into MOVs (Metal Oxide Varistors). To put it simply, these MOVs suppress the surge of power, preventing any damage your devices may have taken from the surge.
Tips for Safe Surge Protector Use
- Always monitor your surge protector for signs of damage or other wear and tear. If you notice the protector is hot or wiring is damaged, replace immediately.
- Don’t plug too many high-voltage devices into a single surge protector.
- Use only a single surge protector per power outlet.
- Keep surge protectors in a dry place with plenty of airflow.
Have Whole Home Surge Protection Installed
While simple store-bought surge protectors can be a fantastic means of protecting expensive electronics, it can be a headache ensuring everything is protected. If you have numerous devices throughout your home, and don’t feel like filling your home with surge protectors in every outlet, it may be time to consider installing whole home surge protection!
What Is Whole Home Surge Protection?
Much like power strip surge protectors, whole home surge protectors are designed to redirect jolts of electricity to protect electronics. With whole home surge protectors, however, the electricity is directed into the ground prior to entering the home.
Rather than being plugged into individual outlets, a whole home surge protector is installed directly into the electrical panel, providing protection for your entire system rather than a few devices.
How Do I Get Whole Home Surge Protection?
Whole home surge protection can be easily installed in your home by a licensed electrician!
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Our skilled electricians at Tapps Electric offer a wide array of residential, commercial, and industrial electrical services to homes and businesses throughout Pierce County and beyond. If you need reliable professionals to help with your project, give us a call or fill out our online form to request your free estimate today!
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