Whole House Surge Protector Installation

A couple of decades ago, power surges were really no big deal. Sometimes, you might see your lights flicker or sense a small interruption in your power supply. It would simply pass as you went about your daily business. However, as technology in our homes has essentially exploded in the last 10 to 20 years, those power surges have gained the ability to shorten the lifespan of a whole host of electronic equipment from plasma televisions to computers. Many people rely on plug-in surge protection on individual electronics, and although this level of protection is nice additional insurance, it is not best to rely on them as your only surge protection. Plug-in surge protectors employ metal oxide varistors to block power surges, but unfortunately, you often get protection from a single surge before the metal oxide varistors fail to work optimally. Professional electricians can help homeowners install a more reliable surge protection system for an entire home. Although a whole house system uses the same metal oxide varistors as plug-in protectors, they have versions that are designed to block large surges and last significantly longer. Whole-house surge protectors regulate the amount of electricity coming into a home, offering better protection for all your appliances and electronics. These protective devices are usually connected to a home’s electric service box. Besides shielding the home from outside surges like in the case of lightning or a downed power line, they also protect surges that start inside the home from major appliances alternating through on and off cycles. Surges happen throughout the day as your air conditioner kicks on and off or you run your washer and dryer. In fact, about 60 percent to 80 percent of all power surges actually start inside the home in this way, according to the NEMA Surge Protection Institute. It only takes a millisecond to harm your sensitive electronic devices. Although the damage may not even be noticeable to you at first, each small current spike zaps your devices and over time will shorten their life and usability. According to the Insurance Information Institute, average claims from power surges and lightning strikes are about $4,300. By contacting a professional electrician, you can protect your appliances and electronics from this potential ongoing problem. Today, high quality whole house surge protection is available and affordable. Call Dollens Electric today for more information about whole house surge protectors or to obtain a quote. We are waiting to serve you