Whole Home Surge Protectors and Other Surge Protection Solutions

Beyond Power Strips: The Benefits of Whole Home Surge Protectors and Other Surge Protection Options

You might be shocked to learn that each home’s wiring system experiences several power surges per day. Some estimate that 2,000 power surges happen annually.

• Most of these power surges are low-amperage surges, about 50-amp surges, caused by normal switching activities. The damage from such small surges is usually unseen. Appliances that use resistance (for heat), such as a toaster, oven, or dryer, will experience a quick heat buildup. Low-amp power surges will reduce the lifespan of sensitive electronics, including computers, televisions, and smart home devices.
• While large surges from lightning strikes can send 300 million to 300,000 amps racing through the power grid, they are rather rare. Large surges are usually indirect, scattering over hundreds of homes at once, and they normally last a couple of nanoseconds before reaching ground. However, the power of such a large surge can be devastating to all electronics and create fire hazards. Indeed, they will reduce the lifespan of most electronics that survive.

To prevent damage from both small and large power surges, engineers have introduced several safety features, like whole home surge protectors for homeowners looking to protect their family and home.

Whole Home Surge Protectors

Most homeowners are familiar with smaller versions of surge protectors. They look like an extension cord with small lights, but they actually interrupt power surges right before they can reach sensitive electronics. Whole home surge protectors are installed between the power grid and the home’s wiring system to interrupt power surges of any size, grounding them before they enter the home. This avoids damage to the home’s wiring system as well as every appliance and device in the home.

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters

While not technically designed to deal with power surges, GFCI devices quickly interrupt a circuit that experiences a ground fault that happens within the home, sending a jolt of electricity through devices or into the surrounding environment.

• If a normal switch or outlet experiences a ground fault, it may take a few seconds before the fault trips the circuit breaker. It could take much longer, depending upon the amount of current and the device.
• A GFCI switch or outlet can detect ground faults and trip an internal breaker in a fraction of a second.

Building codes require GFCI devices that are installed within a few feet from sources of water—sinks, tubs, pools, etc., since electricity can travel through water, creating increased danger from electric shock and fire.

Backup Whole Home Generators

Another potential threat from power surges is power outages. This can happen from

• Lightning strikes that send millions of amps through the distribution system
• Wind damage: wind causes sudden and frequent disruption to the power supply, creating multiple surges during a storm, or
• Localized flooding that causes a power outage over a wide area.

The typical power outage lasts about 7 hours, but they may last for days or weeks, especially on the Texas Gulf Coast during hurricane season.

A whole-house generator installation begins with a transfer switch between the power grid and the home’s electric service panel. The switch detects an outage and responds within seconds. The home is disconnected from the power grid to keep everyone safe, and the generator is started a few seconds later. The size of the generator determines whether it will power the whole home or selected circuits. When the power grid is restored, the generator is switched off and the home is reconnected to the power grid.

Safeguard Your Electronics with Whole Home Surge Protectors

The most comprehensive and effective solution to protect your entire household from catastrophic electrical surges is the installation of Whole Home Surge Protectors. Unlike power strips that only shield a single outlet, these systems provide a robust first line of defense, intercepting surges of all sizes at the point of entry and preventing them from ever reaching your home’s wiring and connected devices. By investing in this crucial protection, you can ensure the longevity of your electronics and the safety of your family.

With our four decades of experience as residential electricians, AirPro Houston provides you with the knowledge of any whole home surge protector needs. Call our residential electrician team at 281-880-8805.