Have you ever stopped to consider the replacement value of every electronic device in your home?
Take the time to calculate the approximate dollar figure of all your TVs, computers, kitchen appliances and laundry room appliances. Don't forget to add in lamps and fixtures, gaming consoles, cell phones and even your garage door opener – anything and everything that requires electricity to operate.
This number represents what you stand to lose in the event of a major power surge. Then factor in the cost of replacing your circuit breaker box and all of your outlets if the surge is a catastrophic one, and your total is probably in the thousands.
A whole-house surge protection system could help you avoid electrical repairs and the cost to replace your valuables.
Power surge threats abound
You're correct to assume that you need protection from lightning and downed power lines, which pose the most ferocious threats. Either one can burn up the standard 20-amp wiring in most homes – destroying appliances and circuit boards, crashing hard drives and destroying home entertainment systems in their wake, and within seconds.
While these surges are the most dangerous, they are not the most common or even the ones to fear the most. The NEMA Surge Protection Institute says that between 60 and 80 percent of all power surges occur indoors, and they occur every day, at all times of the day and in all kinds of weather.
These “mini” power surges take place as major appliances, computers and other electronics cycle on and off throughout the day. Even flipping on the switch to your vacuum cleaner or coffee maker can disturb the otherwise steady flow of voltage to your home's electrical system.
These internal power surges carry such low-level voltage that you're probably not even aware of them, even though they may occur dozens or even hundreds of times every day.
Over time, these mild power fluctuations take their toll on electronics and inevitably shorten their lifespan or lead to electrical repairs.
Fully protect your home – and yourself
You're one step ahead of these risks if you plug your electronics into a power strip. This precaution provides one layer of protection.
The problem is, many power strips are nothing more than extension cords. And power strips cannot protect those electronics that are hard-wired into your home's electrical system.
To fully safeguard your home's valuable electronics – and to prevent electrical damage to your home – there is simply no substitute for a whole-house surge protection system.
Such a system connects directly to a home's electrical panel to insulate electronics, whether they're plugged into a wall or hard-wired. A whole-house surge protection system absorbs excess electricity of all voltage levels, keeping electronics safe and a home free from the threat of damage and expensive electrical repairs.
Since power surges don't present a fire hazard, surge protectors aren't required by building codes or even home insurance carriers. But the National Fire Protection Association and the Institute for Business and Home Safety recommend them.
People with advanced electrical skills may attempt to install a whole surge protection system on their own. But for most people, who may not be able to identify the live wires inside an electrical panel that can cause electrocution, this is no DIY job.
While you can place a dollar value on your home's electronics, you cannot begin to do so on your safety.
Contact the licensed Chico electricians at Experts In Your Home next time your home is need of electrical repairs. We are experts in your home.
