With so many recent advancements, it’s not uncommon to find homes with several high-tech pieces of equipment. Televisions, computers, monitors, and other devices need the right amount of power to work efficiently. But if they get too much power surging through them, they could be damaged. To prevent this from happening, you can have a surge protection system installed at your home. Keep reading to find out more about how these systems work.
Why They’re Necessary
First, we need to point out that an electrical surge could happen at any point. Grid malfunctions, multiple appliances turning or or off simultaneously, and lightning strikes can all lead to an increase in power being sent through your home. Even a small surge can lead to an electrical arc and excess heat that can harm your wiring and other electrical components. One surge could potentially cause appliances and devices to break down altogether. Over time, many small surges could lead to excess wear and tear on devices and reduce their longevity. Modern refrigerators, ovens, washing machines, HVAC systems, lighting systems, and entertainment systems are all vulnerable.
What Do Surge Protectors Do?
You can have a licensed electrician hard-wire a whole-home surge protector, also known as a surge suppressor, to your service panel. This surge protector will then act as a buffer that protects your appliances and devices from sudden increases in power. It will prevent excess electricity from even entering your system.
Your surge protector will continuously monitor the voltage of current entering your house from the power grid, and it will monitor the voltage within your electrical system, too. If it senses an increase in power, it will prevent the excess amount from flowing through your system. It will do so by directing it into your electrical system’s ground wire, which is a wire that has been driven into the ground outside of your home. The power sent into the ground will dissipate and not cause any harm.
Essentially, a surge protector acts as a guard that only lets a certain amount of power into your house. Think of it as a valve that will open when too much pressure, or electricity, tries to flow through it.
Important Factors
Different surge protectors have various abilities. Ones with lower clamping voltage will offer better protection since they’ll start to divert extra voltage sooner rather than later. Plus, surge protectors with higher joule ratings will withstand more significant power surges.
Reach Out for Help
Without a surge protection system, an increase in power could potentially cause thousands of dollars in damage to your devices and appliances. You can protect your items by having a whole-house surge protector installed. Call Sublime Electric if you’d like to learn more about our surge protection services in Boise, ID.
