How to Prepare for Bad Weather With a Surge Protector

All it takes is one lightning strike near your home to overload your residential electrical system. High-power electrical surges can destroy sensitive, expensive electronics such as computers, security systems, and audio-video equipment. Even sturdier electric appliances can be damaged during electrical storms. Surge protectors can protect these devices at a relatively low cost.

The Purpose of Surge Protectors

Surge protectors are designed to stop sudden and extreme spikes, or surges, of electrical power than can damage or destroy electrical equipment and electronic devices. Surge protectors allow a normal flow of uninterrupted current to pass through them. When the voltage in the line increases suddenly, the surge protector reroutes the excess voltage into the ground wire. By doing so, it keeps the surge of electrical power from causing damage.

Lightning during severe storms is the most common source power surges. Power spikes can also occur when large appliances or equipment with high power needs, such as HVAC systems, turn on. Electrical surges can also be caused by downed electrical lines, the failure of local power transmission equipment, and trouble with electrical wiring in or near your home.

Types of Surge Protectors

For the best protection against electrical power spikes, you should use two different types of surge protectors:

1. Residential or whole-house surge protectors are wired to the main circuit panel in your home. They provide heavy-duty suppression of electrical surges that enter your home from external sources.
2. Point-of-use surge protectors add additional protection. They look much like a large box with multiple electric outlets where electronics and electrical devices can be plugged in. The surge protector is then plugged into the standard wall outlet. If a power spike makes it past the residential surge protector, this device will provide another layer of safety for sensitive, expensive electronics.

For more than 72 years, C. R. Wolfe Heating and Air Conditioning has kept customers in Middletown and the surrounding communities comfortable. Contact us today for more information on the need for a surge protector and how a surge protector can keep your home’s electric appliances and electronic equipment safe during severe storms.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Middletown, New York about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about surge protectors and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 845-367-4482.

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