Choose Home Surge Protection to Guard Against Storm Damage to Your Electrical System

When the lightning flashes outside or the wind picks up, do you dart a nervous glance at the electronics plugged in around your home? A power surge can severely damage electronic devices and your home electrical system. Cincinnati, Mason, Summerdale, and the surrounding areas see plenty of summer lightning storms that could overload your electrical system and cause problems. However, you can also protect your home against a devastating power surge.

Why Does Power Go Out During Storms?

Power can go out during storms for many reasons. Ice and wind sometimes take down power lines, interrupting energy flow from your utility company. Flooding sometimes damages equipment both above and below ground. Lightning may strike power poles, aboveground wires, and transformers, dealing massive damage.

This damage is sometimes accompanied by a power surge: a sudden influx of power or a short in the circuit that causes electrical systems to overload. Power surges may also happen due to electrical system overload, faulty wiring or other equipment, or large-scale power grid failure.

What is Surge Protection?

Surge protection devices are a barrier between your electronics and possible power fluctuations. They can be anything from power strips or other individual units to whole-home appliances. When a surge protector detects more power than is safe, it redirects excess electricity safely into the grounding wire.

The sudden increase or interruption in power to outlets can damage the devices plugged into them. This includes computers, TVs, gaming systems, charging phones, and even appliances. Surges can also destroy or damage outlets and wiring, leading to power loss, damage to your HVAC system, or even fires. When a surge protector grounds out excess electricity, it can save you the headache and expense of dealing with fried devices, electrical damage, and house fire cleanup.

Choosing Surge Protection for Your Home’s Electric Systems

What Is a Whole-House Surge Protector?

Whole-home surge protectors are devices professionally installed directly into your electrical system at the panel. They protect all your outlets and wiring from surges, guarding against voltage spikes throughout your home. Panel surge protection safeguards you against 60–80% of power surges, ensuring you’re never without some level of security.

Cincinnati and the surrounding areas like Summerside and Fort Thomas are no strangers to lightning storms, ice taking out power equipment, overloaded grids in extreme heat or cold, and other severe weather damage to electrical systems. It makes a whole-home surge protector well worth the cost.

Installing Surge-Protected Outlets

A ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlet automatically trips when overloaded, preventing surging power from frying your circuits or whatever you have plugged in. They protect against not only power surges but also overloaded circuits. If you ever plug just one too many things in and trip a circuit, GFCI outlets can save you the headache of heading for your electrical panel to reset things. The National Electrical Code (NEC) requires GFCI protection on outlets that could be exposed to water.

How to Use Surge Protection Devices

If you opt not to use panel or outlet upgrades, you can still protect the most vulnerable parts of your home. Some power strips have built-in surge protection, so you can plug your devices in without fear of overload. This is a great money-saving option if you don’t have the funds to redo your outlets or get a whole-home surge protector. Prioritize plugging these devices into your surge protectors:

  • Laptops, TVs, gaming systems, and other expensive electronics
  • Medical equipment
  • Routers and modems
  • Work or office equipment
  • Phone chargers
  • Smart appliances

Avoid plugging in devices that draw a high power load to function, such as vacuum cleaners, space heaters, air conditioners, and electric motors.

Protect Your Electrical System from the Storms with Professionally Installed Surge Protection

Next time a storm rolls through, know that your electronics are protected even if the power goes out. The pros at Mister Sparky of Cincinnati can add whole-home surge protection and GFCI outlets to keep your electric system safe from storms. Ready for protection from power surges? Call (513) 657-1641 or book an appointment online.