At home, we have numerous electrical appliances. All these work on the specific voltage under the given electrical technology. If a sudden spike occurs in voltage, can you guess what will happen?
Your electrical device will stop working immediately! The reason you already know. Damage to your electrical appliances due to voltage surges.
Just take an example of a recent lightning strike in St Louis, MO, that caused devastating fires in the homes. This was due to a power surge. This is not the first case in the US.
Surge Protectors— Are They all the same?
No. Surge protectors can be different, but the goal is the same —to prevent appliance damage from sudden voltage spikes.
What Is A Surge Protector?
A surge protector acts as the first line of defense in sudden power surges above standard levels.
Now, you must be wondering about the power surge, right? A power surge refers to sudden fluctuations of voltages above the standard limit of voltage.
For example, in the United States, most electrical devices work efficiently with the standard limit of 120 volts— Volts is a measuring unit of voltage. A sudden rise in voltage above 120 volts would come under the category of a power surge.
This power surge can permanently damage your devices, such as air conditioners.
Who wants to invest in purchasing new devices every day? That's why we recommend a surge protector to keep our devices safe.
How Exactly Does It Work?
In actuality, a surge protector diverts the route of power to grounding wires whenever a power surge occurs.
A typical circuit contains three types of wires that enable a power supply for your appliances.
- Hot Wire
- Neutral Wire
- Grounding wire
All these wires run parallel to each other in the circuit. The hot and neutral wire acts as the primary source of power supply to a device.
Whenever voltage exceeds the acceptable upper limit, the surge protectors change the route from hot and neutral to the ground wire. This way of approach protects your devices from burning and keeps the circuit safe.
What Causes Power Surges?
Many factors. Power surges commonly occur at home, industrial zones, and offices due to the following reasons.
- Lightning Strikes: Ground lightning strikes cause voltage surge in the electrical panel.
- Use of high-power devices: Air conditioners and refrigerators require high power. When they switch on and off, sudden fluctuations in voltage are a typical scenario.
- Faulty Wiring: Usually, in the house wiring, due to faults or downed power lines
Surge Protectors vs. Power Strips vs. UPS
Surge protectors and power strips seem to be the ones, but they are not. Here are some of the main differences between them.
Surge Protectors vs. Power Strips
Surge protectors and power strips share the same feature— Both have multiple outlets for your devices. Here are some differences as well.
- Surge protectors are specifically designed to prevent damage from sudden voltage spikes. Power strips may or may not serve the power surges protection features. Power strips having a joule rating on them can serve as voltage surge protectors.
- Usual power strips have a circuit breaker to turn off and on the system automatically in case of power surges. It doesn't offer much protection compared to surge protectors.
Surge Protectors vs. UPS
In actuality, UPS (uninterrupted power supply) offers backup power whenever your system power line is down. Here are some points regarding the difference between both.
- UPS is specifically designed for the backup power supply for your home, while surge protectors have a sole purpose—surge protection.
- UPS offers secondary level protection from voltage spikes. In this case, surge protectors act as a primary line of defense in power surges.
- Usually, UPS serves as whole house surge protectors. For whole-house surge protection, you need multiple surge protectors that can be expensive.
5 Reasons Why A Surge Protector Makes A Difference
Surge protectors are essential components of a house electrical system. Excessive voltage can directly burn your devices and circuit. Mental agony happens, right? Yes, especially if you are short on budget.
Here, you will have a perfect answer for your question, "Is surge protection is worth it?"
1. Electrical Fire Prevention
Just imagine, ground lightning strikes just hit. What do you expect if the 40,000-Amp surge passes through your circuit? Obviously, it will burn the circuit instantly.
In a house wiring, all the electrical circuits are connected in one way or another way. Electrical fires in one circuit will result in the burning of all the circuits. This can do some serious damage to your existing electrical panel.
How can you protect such as massive damage?
Install an adequate surge protection system. It can prevent change in the routes of current whenever the voltage surge prevails. Just another advantage for your house surge protection.
2. Keep Expensive Devices Safe
Tell me one thing! In a home, what do your circuits do? Contribute power to your devices, right? What if the electrical surges occur in all of your circuits?
Obviously, you are going to get damage to your devices like TVs or anything plugged into an outlet that is affected.
You know, why?
Because 40,000-Amp current will pass through your electrical appliances as well. This case can permanently destroy your devices.
Is there any solution?
Yes. Use the surge protection system in your home. This can help to prevent house fires and keep your devices safe.
3. Save Money Over Purchasing New Appliances
Major appliances at home are very much expensive. You might not have the budget to invest in repairing or purchasing new household equipment.
In the case of a voltage surge, all your electrical devices like refrigerators or washing machines can possibly be damaged. Their lifespan quickly decreases or they will need serious repair. Financial pain for you!
With surge protectors, even a small voltage surge can not even damage your devices. This improves the lifespan of your devices and keeps them efficient.
4. Access To Multiple Plugs Doesn't Remain A Problem
Wall outlets come up with two built-in plugs. No doubt, they offer surge protection for your electrical panel but have limitations as well.
Surge protectors facilitate you with up to 10 or more plugs. You can connect multiple devices to the surge protector.
5. Peace of Mind
If most of your expensive electrical appliances stop working, this is a true pain. For example, if you are tight on budget, it becomes costly to purchase new devices.
A surge protector can be worth discussing in this case. It can prevent voltage surges and keep your devices functional for longer periods. No more expenses, no more pain.
Electrical fires are another problem and a really serious one. A fire in a single circuit can spread to all your connected circuits in the house wiring. The whole house can get burned.
Risk for your lives, right? Surge protection devices can keep fear away and provide mental peace.
Is A Whole House Surge Protector Worth It for Your Home?
What Is A Whole House Surge Protector?
A whole-house surge protector can prevent power surges in the whole of your house. Especially at home, whole-house suppressors can protect all your devices and prevent a 40,000-amp surge, at minimum.
You can have an added layer of a plug-in surge protector or a UPS to help with any leakage from a massive surge.
Unlike power strips that offer surge protection to limited devices, UPS protects all electrical appliances. No matter you have high power or lower power devices in the home, this is going to work effectively.
Is The Whole House Surge Protector Worth It?
The best approach is to know the advantages of the whole house surge protectors.
Here is what it can do for you.
- Prevent the circuit board from frying and devastating fire from an electrical surge.
- Protect all your devices whenever there is a sudden voltage spike
- Safeguard mini bursts of your devices through the working cycle with almost little or no fluctuations. Mini bursts cause slow damage. The result you already know— devices stop working after some time.
- Provide the backup supply whenever the main power line is down.
What Services Do You Need To Install It?
Always remember, never try to install electrical equipment on your own if you are inexperienced. Especially with whole-house surge protectors as they require special care.
You might get confused about the different types of wires in the electrical panel. So, hire some professional electricians in every case.
Our professional electrical services include guaranteed work at the best possible cost for the equipment and installation.
Our expert electricians at Bates Electric can install the whole mechanism for your home, office, or industrial location. Give us a call for a free estimate.
Final Thoughts
Still thinking? That's not the right way. Surge protection is always worth it. Sudden voltage spikes are normal in the United States because of storming weather that hit more than usual.
That is where it becomes essential to install the whole house surge protectors from a trusted professional electrician.
If you want to hire expert electricians in St. Louis, Mo area, or elsewhere in one of our locations around the USA, Bates Electric can help you.
Give us a call to let us know your questions.
Related Questions
Are Surge Protectors Necessary Anymore?
Yes. You should employ surge protectors for your major appliances such as Air conditioners, computers, and refrigerators.
Do Modern Homes Have Surge Protection?
Probably not if you have not installed the surge protection system in the early phase of wiring installation of your modern house.
Modern houses have specific circuits boards and electrical equipment that need surge protection.