Why It Is Important To Have Surge Protection for Your Home

Why It Is Important To Have Surge Protection for Your Home

A matter that is usually overlooked by many of us, protecting our homes against power surges, it is something we must invest in for the betterment of our homes. Power surge damage can go from anywhere between nothing to rendering your home electronics useless.

But why do power surges occur, and how harmful are they really? Read on below for a clearer explanation of all things pertaining to power surges.

Power Surges Explained: How Do They Occur?

Power surges result in unexpected spikes in electrical voltage that can sometimes be too much for electrical outlets to handle, and in turn, any device plugged into the outlet as well. There are several causes behind why power surges occur. Here’s how:

1. Lightning

Ever seen your parents panic in order to unplug the TV, the air conditioner, or any other heavy and expensive electronics during a storm? That’s because lightning strikes can cause spikes in voltage and eventually your home’s electric system. That is a power surge, and in turn, it can be quite damaging for any electronic appliance that’s plugged into a power outlet.

2. Power Breakdowns

You may think how a power breakdown could cause a power surge when there’s basically a blackout and no electric power at that moment. But it’s not during a breakdown when a surge can occur, it is after the power is restored. When a power company turns back on the electricity of its grid, a sudden spike in power can occur before normalizing, and it is when the spike occurs that any devices plugged in can be at risk of getting damaged.

3. Overloaded Outlets

An outlet with multiple devices plugged into it, or a device plugged in that requires much more voltage than the outlet can handle, are also root causes of power surges.

When multiple devices are plugged into an outlet with the help of an extension plug socket, sometimes there can be a sudden jump in the electricity supply due to the demand of each device plugged in. That jump is a power surge and it can damage any one, if not all the devices that are plugged into that extension socket.

Similarly, when a device that requires more voltage is plugged into an outlet that supports less than that, at one point it is inevitable that a power surge may occur. It is because the outlet would overwork itself to meet the voltage capacity that is required by the particular device. This is very common with hairdryers sparking or burning from within while they’re switched on, that is partially why some hotel bathrooms tend to have a label of what voltage their power outlets can support, to avoid any incidents.

Preventing Damage Caused By Power Surges

1. Surge Protection Coverage

Subscribing to a Surge Protection Coverage Plan may be the best thing you would do for your home. For a very reasonable price, like $8.99 monthly as offered by First Energy, your expenses of any repair or replacement of electronic devices due to damage caused by a power surge is covered with the protection plan. That means you save up potentially hundreds of dollars in repair costs or even replacing your device altogether if it was damaged because of a power surge. And we all know how expensive heavy-duty electronics and appliances like refrigerators, air conditioners, and dishwashers are.

First Energy’s Electrical Surge Coverage plan includes devices such as gaming consoles, ovens, computers, printers, televisions, and a lot of other kitchen appliances as well.

2. Investing in a Surge Protector

A surge protector can come in the form of an extension socket or like an electric extension cord, except they serve the purpose of blocking the excess supply of electricity from passing through to the device. These devices use specialized circuits in order to redirect that excess supply into the ground, with built-in spark gaps and capacitors.

Protecting your home and its electronics, whether it is cellphone chargers or light bulbs, or even bigger appliances, should be a priority. Replacing electronics and related devices are always troublesome, given their prices and searching for the components as well. And Power surges occur on a very frequent basis, sometimes multiple times in a day, and can go unnoticed too. They are the silent culprits behind the damage to a lot of our home electronics, so why not avail the options at your disposal to protect them?

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