What is a power surge and when does it usually happen?

A power surge is any change that happens in the current flow in your electrical wires. These changes, regardless of how big or small it is, can have a great impact with how your electrical appliances and gadgets function.

No one can exactly predict when power surges happen. But there are some signs that will let you that it is happening. Keep your eyes open for flickering lights or locking up of your computer, laptop, or other gadgets that are plugged in. There are also times when the power surge is very small that not many homeowners notice it.

It’s true that power surges can be caused by lightning strikes. However, the most common cause of power surges, according to the NEMA Surge Protection Institute, are actually the appliances inside your home that cycle on and off. These are your air conditioners, refrigerators, and clothes dryer. These cause small fluctuations in your electrical current flow and these fluctuations, in turn, can accumulate through time and cause severe damage to your other appliances and gadgets. The worst it can cause is burning out of delicate circuits in your electrical system.

How does whole-house surge protector help protect your electrical system?

A whole-house surge protector does its job by detecting any changes in the electrical current flow in your home. When it senses that the current flow is deviating or increasing from the normal range, it would safely divert the excess current or power surge through the house’s grounding path.

To ensure you get maximum protection from whole-house surge protectors, opt to get the whole-house surge protective device together with the plug-in surge protective device. The whole-house surge protective device will be installed in your home’s circuit breaker box so it will have instant access to all current flow running throughout your house. Use the plug-in devices on individual outlets to monitor the flow of electricity from the outlet to gadgets and appliances plugged into the outlet.

If you have sensitive electrical gadgets like personal computers, laptops and home entertainment systems, you can opt to use a point-of-use surge protective device. This will provide more protection for your gadgets and ensure that no form of power surge will reach them.

Call Energy Electric today for a full review of your home or business to determine if surge protection is right for you.

Energy Electric, L.L.C.
(843) 399-7111

https://www.energyelectricllc.com/

Cities Served:

Conway, Myrtle Beach, Aynor, Carolina Forest, Galivants Ferry, Loris, Longs, North Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, Garden City, Forestbrook, Murrells Inlet, Little River, Green Sea