Power Surge is one of the leading causes of electrical power disturbance in the United States. It is defined as spikes in power that damages power outlets or starts an electrical fire. In other words, it is a surge or increase of power beyond its required voltage.
Due to the increasing demand for electrical devices, homes are now a potential source of power surges due to overloaded electrical connections. For instance, power surges occur when these devices call for sudden and brief draws on the power that disturbs the steady flow of volts in the electrical systems.
Further, prevention is better than panic and your home should always be your safest haven. Preventive measures should be followed through these 5 Ways to Protect Your Home From a Power Surge.
How Does a Power Surge Cause Damage?
Power Surges cause internal damage to your electronic devices depending on its circumstance and intensity. The level of its damage is categorized as small power surges, low-level power surges, and large power surges.
Small power surges produce non-apparent damage which occurs multiple times in a day. It leaves no mark that indicates your device has been damaged.
Low-level power surges result in electronic rust which can gradually degrade internal circuitry until it fails.
Lastly, large power surges can cause grave and instantaneous damage. It burns the internal circuitry and melts plastic and metallic parts.
Here are 5 Ways to Protect Your Home From a Power Surge.
#1 Installing a Whole-House Surge Protector
Primarily, a whole-house surge protector protects all devices in your home from voltage spikes in regulating the flow of the electric current by blocking or shortening it to ground. It is commonly installed in your electric box.
The installation of a Whole-House Surge Protector requires professional assistance from an electrician where it takes two hours to install the device.
By installing a Whole House Surge Protector prevents incidents like the occurrence of fried circuit boards on the highly sensitive electronic home appliances, mini-bursts of excess energy appliances requiring on and off cycles, and overvoltage from downed utility lines and homes.
#2 Upgrading Your AC Unit
Power Surges can damage the internal wiring of your AC through small surges. It causes minimal fluctuations in the power grid of your AC unit although small surges are subtle and cumulative. Here, the nature of AC units stops multiple times in a day. When old AC units withdraw its power, it increases the likelihood of a power surge.
Further, you need to replace your old AC units to high-efficient units available on the market today. It prevents power surge when your AC unit suddenly stops from drawing power and operates in less power. In short, an upgraded AC unit cuts down the risk of voltage spikes and works in a cost-efficient way.
Nevertheless, you can also install HVAC Surge Protector specifically designed for air conditioners and heat pumps.
#3 Unplugging Devices During a Thunderstorm
A strong storm carries with it a lightning strike – a form of rapid discharge of an electrical charge between the cloud and the ground. Most lightning strikes occur within the clouds.
Lightning Strikes are fatal and unforgivable. In the United States, the average annual death toll from lightning is 51 deaths per year, although more recently, in the last 10 years (2009-2018), the U.S. has averaged only 27 lightning fatalities.
To prevent power surges caused by lightning strikes, you need to unplug electronic devices before a thunderstorm, especially those with large electronic loads. Otherwise, it can cause a firsthand power surge if your devices are unplugged only during the storm. Bear in mind that you only need to unplug major home appliances that require signals to work like TVs, WiFis, etc.
#4 Inspecting Your Wiring
Power Surges are also caused by the faulty and dysfunctional wires. For instance, damaged wires create little resistance and disrupt the current flow which increases the likelihood of a surge that leads the outlet to be damaged.
Maintenance in your home wiring should always be your top priority. While focusing on developing exterior details of your home, inspecting your home wiring is preparation for wholesome prevention.
Thus, you need to have routine maintenance by a licensed electrician who checks if there are frequent tripping of circuit breakers, the alarming sound coming from outlets, or visible burn marks and smells coming from the outlets.
#5 Regulating the Usage of Power Outlets
Overloading your power outlets results in intermittent power failures, wide variations in available electricity, and even fire hazards. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, overloaded circuits and outlets cause more than 5,000 residential fires each year.
Aside from overloading your power outlets, maximizing the use of an outlet occasionally causes power surges. For instance, using a microwave and a hairdryer simultaneously on the same outlet can be a hazard.
To regulate your usage of your power outlets, map out the rating of each circuit to determine whether it operates appropriately with the outlet. Also, you can calculate the circuit load to ascertain the amount of wattage from a circuit than the safe load number.
Key Takeaways
Your home should always be your safest haven. The fear of power surges should not be taken into action during the event of an incident, rather, prevention should take place before an incident occurs. Nevertheless, preventive steps take place by following these 5 Ways to Protect Your Home From a Power Surge:
1. Installing a Whole-house Power Surge Protector
2. Upgrading Your AC Unit
3. Unplugging Devices During a Thunderstorm
4. Inspecting Your Writing
5. Regulating the Usage of Power Outlets
Let this be a reminder that power surges stop when prevention starts. Make it happen.
