Working from Home? 10 Reasons Why a Whole-Home Surge Protector Is Vital

The electrical system that powers your home is a very fickle beast. The voltage that goes through it must be under a safe limit. When the voltage gets too high, it impacts the function of the electrical system by tripping the circuit breaker, shutting off devices, and potentially damaging your property.

This sudden increase in voltage is called a power surge, and the effects can be extremely damaging.

Why Do Power Surges Happen?

Most people get nervous at the possibility of a power surge. This concern is for good reason, but understanding why a power surge happens can help you to prevent it.

There are a few reasons why you might experience a power surge in your home.

An Overload of Electricity

A common internal reason for a power surge is an overload of electrical activity. This happens when a device is trying to pull too much power from a circuit and, in turn, creates a surge. When you plug in multiple devices at once or abuse a circuit’s amperage levels, it can cause an overload of electricity.

A Lightning Strike

An external, less controllable cause of a power surge is when your electrical system is struck by lightning. Since lightning is a form of electricity, it creates a massive overflow of power when it strikes a house. This overflow is why it is recommended that you unplug any electronic devices and appliances when a big storm is predicted: Unplugging acts as a simple method of surge protection.

A Power Outage

Most homeowners are familiar with the occasional power outage from a, particularly bad storm. Losing power in your home is frustrating, and it can damage your electrical system.

When the electricity is turned back on after an outage, the power quickly goes from 0 to 100, creating an excess surge of electricity and harming devices that are still plugged in.

Signs of a Power Surge

A power surge can look very different depending on the particular circumstances. Some effects are obvious, and others are easily overlooked.

Being aware of the signs that a power surge is around the corner will help you to avoid this difficult situation.

Plugged-In Devices Lose Power

One of the common giveaways that your home is about to experience an electrical surge is that your devices suddenly die. When this happens, it is usually because the device’s electrical system is taking on too much power, which causes it to turn off in an effort to maintain surge protection.

Appliances Reset Themselves

Similar to how certain devices turn off when a power surge is imminent, other appliances start randomly resetting themselves. This is a built-in surge protection feature that is used to avoid any damage to the appliance and your home’s electrical system when the voltage climbs too high.

If you notice that your microwave and oven start blinking as a result of resetting themselves every day, it’s likely due to a power surge.

Burning Scent from a Device or Power Source

One of the more serious power-surge signs to look out for is a burnt smell coming from a device, appliance, or wall outlet. Burning indicates that the electrical system has become far too overwhelmed with power. This occurs when the surge protection features in your home and devices fail, and the power just continues to build.

A burning smell likely means that a fire is going to spark soon or that one has already.

10 Reasons to Get a Whole-Home Surge Protector

The looming possibility of an electrical surge is scary, but there are solutions to lessen the chances of it happening. One excellent option is to install a whole-home surge protector to beef up the safety of your electrical system.

There are many reasons why a whole-home surge protection system should be a priority for your residence.

1. Lessens the Chances of Internal Surge

The key motivation behind installing a whole-home surge protector is that it dramatically lessens the chance of a damaging surge. Even if you do not live in an area with heavy storms, it is still possible to experience an internal power surge. Once it happens, the damage is irreversible, and you might regret not installing surge protection sooner.

2. Protects Your Data and Technology

When a surge occurs, it has the capability to completely wipe out the data on your devices. In the age of technology, data has become the most valuable resource on the planet.

Ensuring the safety of personal data that lives inside your electronic devices is crucial. Using surge protection directly safeguards this precious information.

3. Acts as Layering Protection

Layering protection is a term used to describe measures of security. It means that you have multiple lines of defense when it comes to your home’s safety. When you add surge protection, it creates another layer to keep your home and devices secure.

4. It is Affordable

While the added security of a whole-home surge protection system sounds like it would be expensive, it is surprisingly reasonable. The installation is affordable and can be completed with just a few hours.

5. Protects Against Wiring Issues

Wiring issues within the home can cause an internal power surge. Faulty wiring causes a lot of issues, but power surges can be especially damaging. Getting a whole-home surge protector avoids big electrical disruptions due to wiring problems.

6. Avoids Costly Systems Repairs

You might be wary about installing whole-home surge protection because of the cost, but the investment saves you a lot of money in the long run. While prices vary, major repairs on your electrical and HVAC systems can cost a lot of money.

When a power surge occurs at your home, it often ends up costing thousands of dollars in repairs or replacement fees. Opting to have a surge protection system installed helps to avoid these frustrating repair situations and their costs.

7. Protects Your Home’s Electrical System

The electricity that pulses through your home is a delicate system that requires some extra protection. The effects of a power surge can be fundamentally damaging to your home’s electrical system.

When your home’s electrical system is regularly being attacked, it causes problems that require professional attention. Getting a whole-home power surge protector saves you from searching Google for an “electrician near me” every other week.

8. Maintains Your Home’s Appliances

An aggravating side effect of a power surge in your home is short- and long-term damage to your appliances. You rely on your home’s appliances for everything from making dinner to washing laundry. When these machines are out of commission, it disrupts the entire day.

Using surge protection lessens the chance of facing these stressful circumstances.

9. Often Provides Further Protection with Warranties

Another beautiful benefit of installing a whole-home surge protector is that they often come with the guarantee of a warranty. These warranties usually last anywhere from a few years to a lifetime.

A warranty gives you peace of mind, knowing that even if a damaging power surge does occur in your home, you will be protected under any circumstances.

10. Decreases the Chance of a House Fire

Fires can be a devastating result of an extreme power surge. One of the most convincing reasons to invest in surge protection is that it decreases the chances of a fire occurring at your home. A house fire negatively impacts every area of your life, not just your home.

Using whole-home surge protection lessens the chance of a fire starting due to electricity build-up.