While surge protectors do not directly protect against a lightning strike, it’s still a good idea to get them installed in your home. A surge protector can prevent power fluctuations from damaging your electrical systems and preventing appliance replacements.
These systems can protect against internal and external power surges, which is why they are such an effective way to protect your home’s electrical systems and appliances. With the help of Daytona’s on-time electrician, you can lower repair costs, extend the lifespan of your appliances, and prevent dangerous surges.
Key Takeaways
- Surge protection does not stop lightning devices from damaging equipment.
- In fact, external and internal surges are a larger threat to your electrical wiring and appliances than lightning.
- These devices can prevent damage from internal and external surges.
- A skilled electrician from Mister Sparky can review your home’s systems and determine the best options for protecting your devices and wiring.
- With a layered approach, you can provide a higher level of protection from unexpected surges.
Why Surge Protectors Can’t Stop a Lightning Strike
Whole house surge protection is designed to prevent power surges from harming your equipment. Power surges can happen because of an appliance turning on and off. In other cases, power surges occur because of an electrical malfunction, like too much voltage in your neighborhood’s utility lines.
Sometimes, these power surges are minor and cause minimal damage. However, frequent or powerful surges can cause serious damage to your home.
Surge protection can stop day-to-day surges from harming your electrical systems and devices. The problem is that lightning bolts are simply too powerful to be contained by this type of protection. One bolt can contain 300 million volts of electricity. Even with the best protection system available, it would be impossible to divert all of that electricity into the ground.
Internal and External Surges Are Bigger Threats Than Lightning
Fortunately, there is some good news. Your home is much less likely to get hit by a bolt of electricity than it is to experience a power surge. Downed power lines, normal appliance cycling, and similar issues can cause power levels to fluctuate. Over time, this can increase the likelihood of electrical malfunctions if you don’t install the right protective system.
With whole house surge protection, you can protect your home from internal and external surges. These internal and external sources are the most common causes of an unexpected surge. If your Florida home lacks the appropriate protection, it can end up costing you significant amounts of money in repair costs.
External Surges
An external surge can happen because of issues like downed power lines. For example, a hurricane or high winds can cause power lines to snap, leading to a power outage. Before the outage actually occurs, the power levels can fluctuate significantly. This can cause dangerous power surges that can damage your devices.
Internal Surges
With an internal surge, the cause originates inside your home. Often, this is due to a large appliance turning on and off. When this occurs, it leads to a brief fluctuation in voltage that can damage anything else that is hooked up to the same system.
Layered Surge Protection
The best way to protect your home is through layered surge protection. Basically, these protectors work by monitoring how much voltage goes through your wiring. When an unexpected spike in electricity occurs, the extra voltage is diverted into the ground using the ground wire.
The best option is to layer whole house surge protection with a point-of-use protector. By installing two different systems, you can ensure a layered, heightened level of protection. For example, you can set up a lightning rod as your first line of defense. Then, a surge protection unit can be added between your meter and utility line. A third unit can be placed between the meter and the electrical box. You can install additional protectors and UPS units within your home.
Layer 1: Whole-Home Surge Protectors
The first line of protection is intended to protect your entire home. Whole house surge protection can be installed in multiple locations.
- You can place units between the utility lines and your main electrical panel.
- Additional units can be installed between your electrical panel and different appliances.
Layer 2: Point-of-Use Surge Protectors
With point-of-use protectors, you can protect a single appliance or multiple appliances. Basically, these units are placed between the electrical outlets and the appliances you want to protect. They are ideal for preventing damage from a surge. Because of how easy they are to install, you can often find point-of-use protectors in local hardware stores.
Why You Need Surge Protection in Daytona, FL
Surge protectors might not protect your home from a sudden electrical bolt, but they can save you money in other ways. With high-quality surge protection, you can prevent unexpected power surges from damaging your appliances. In the long run, this extends the lifespan of your appliances and prevents costly repairs.
Faulty electrical wiring is a major fire risk. By making sure your home is protected from sudden surges, you can avoid a house fire. In turn, this benefit ensures your family’s safety and well-being.
Call Mister Sparky for Help With Your Electrical Needs in Daytona, Florida
If you are in Daytona or the surrounding areas, our team is here to help with all of your electrical needs. Mister Sparky has years of experience helping local residents get the surge protection they need. From whole-house options to point-of-use units, we can provide layer protection and an added level of security in your home.
To learn more about how we can protect your appliances and electrical systems from power surges, give us a call today.