If protecting your home from electrical surges isn’t something you think about often, you’re not alone.
Many assume that power surges are only caused by downed lines and electrical storms, but that simply isn’t true. In fact, 60-80% of power surges originate inside your home, often from something as simple as the AC system cycling or a major appliance turning off or on. Chances are, power surges are happening in your house dozens of times a day without you even noticing. Over time, these fluctuations take a toll on the sensitive circuitry of your electronics, drastically reducing their lifespan. Even more concerning than the damage to your devices and appliances, these surges can spark electrical fires that put your entire home in danger.
Installing a whole house surge protector is one of the easiest ways to protect the contents of your home. Even better, you can literally set it and forget it, as most modern models have internal sensors that will sound an alarm if the surge protector becomes disabled. To learn more about home surge protection, keep reading. If you’re already ready to schedule a whole house surge protector install, give iTrust Home Services a call today.
What Causes Power Surges?
Power surges are caused by fluctuations in electrical flow that cause energy to build up in your electrical system. These fluctuations can be caused by external forces, such as equipment repairs, changes to the electrical grid, downed power lines, and lightning strikes. Internally, power surges are most often caused by appliances or HVAC systems cycling off and on. As mentioned above, these smaller surges occur frequently throughout the day, and you likely don’t even notice them. Unfortunately, while these minor surges fly under the radar, they still cause damage to the circuitry inside your electronics. This damage builds up over time, shortening the lifespan of your equipment, and increasing the risk of fire in your home.
Aren’t Outlet Surge Protectors Enough?
If you’ve been counting on a plug-in surge protector to protect your home computer or electronic devices from power surges, get ready to be disappointed. While outlet surge protectors have their place, they’re simply not built to prevent a major power surge from frying your equipment. Also, while you might not think of your refrigerator, thermostat, or washing machine as mini-computers, the truth is they have a lot more in common with your smartphone than appliances from 10 years ago. Installing a whole home surge protector costs just a fraction of what it would take to replace your household appliances, let alone your Home Theater, AV & Security Equipment, smart phones, tablets, and computers.
Do Whole House Surge Protectors Really Work?
You might be wondering if whole home surge protectors really work. Yes! Whole home surge protectors are your first line of defense against damage caused by power fluctuations, power outages, and electrical storms. They offer significantly more coverage than outlet surge protectors, and they’re reliable – providing protection in the background of your day-to-day life. Even with a stellar house insurance policy covering replacement costs, imagine how difficult and time-consuming it would be to replace all of the appliances, devices, security, and sound equipment in your home. For the peace of mind alone, we recommend installing a whole house surge protector.
As an added benefit, whole home surge protectors often carry a warranty that protects your home and valuables in case of equipment failure. This, in addition to a good home insurance policy, adds another layer of protection and peace of mind. It should be noted that most Surge Protection Device manufacturers offer 5 to 10-year warranties, with various levels of coverage for equipment protected by the device. However, if you read the fine print, the warranties are void if the device is not installed by a qualified electrician, another good reason to call iTrust Home Services for your whole home surge protector install.
Reasons to consider whole home surge protection:
Save time and money.
A single power surge from a lightning strike, downed power line, or even just the AC cycling on and off can cause thousands of dollars in damage to appliances and electronics, plus the hassle of dealing with insurance, replacement, and repairs. Whole home surge protection stops power surges before they enter your home, saving you time and money.
Invest in simple + effective protection.
Protecting your computer and A/V system with plug-in surge protectors used to be enough. Now nearly every major appliance in your home is basically a smartphone in disguise. Plugging each appliance into a point-of-use surge protector isn’t practical or efficient. Whole home surge protectors are the convenient, elegant, and affordable solution.
Give yourself peace of mind.
We’ve all seen how unpredictable Mother Nature can be. When storms and electrical disruptions occur (and they will) knowing you have whole home surge protection installed can be the difference between stress and worry over potential damage, and peace and security knowing that your home is protected from power surges at the source.
