When an electrical surge increases the voltage going into a device, the extra current can cause heat that damages the device’s circuit board and other components.

Using a surge protector prevents electrical surges from harming electronics. To get the best results, though, you have to choose the right design.

What Causes Electrical Surges?

Most people think that electrical surges come from lighting. A lightning strike can cause an electrical surge, but most surges happen when your electricity provider sends a short, powerful burst of electricity through its grid.

Other common sources of electrical surges include:

  • Overburdening your home’s electrical system.
  • Damaged wiring.
  • Turning electricity back on after a power outage.

How Surge Protectors Keep Electronics Safe

The best surge protectors have ground wires that redirect excess electricity away from your devices. When you plug electronics into a surge protector, the devices get a steady stream of electricity without any spikes.

Over time, your surge protector can get damaged. You may need to replace it every few years. The cost of replacing a surge protector, however, is much lower than the cost of replacing computers, televisions, and other electronics.

The Best Surge Protectors for 2019

Manufacturers make surge protectors with a wide range of features. Consider the following options before you invest in your next surge protector.

Whole-House Surge Protection

Surge protectors that plug into your outlets can only protect the devices connected to them. You can get more protection by having an electrician install a whole-house surge protector.

Whole-house surge protectors connect to your electrical box. Once installed, they protect all of the electronics in your home.

Some of the best whole-house surge protectors include models from:

  • Siemens
  • Square D
  • Eaton

More Connections Protect More Electronics

If you choose a power strip instead of a whole-house surge protector, make sure you buy one that has plenty of connections. You’ll want at least six connections to power your electronics.

Also, make sure the strip has enough room between the outlets. You don’t want to cramp a bunch of chords into a small space. Also, overloading a power strip could create a fire hazard.

Some power strips now have USB connections. If you want to plug your USB devices directly into a power strip, you’ll need a compatible model.

A few power surge favorites include:

  • APC 2630 8-Outlet Surge Protector
  • Tripp Lite 7-Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip
  • Cyber Power SCP600WSU 6-Outlet Surge Protector

No matter which power strip you choose, it can’t protect every device in your house. Contact Mister Sparky to install a whole-house surge protector. It’s the easiest, most effective way to keep your electronics safe from power surges.