If you’re looking for ways to protect your home from power surges, you should consider investing in a whole home surge protector. The right device can help safeguard your expensive electronics from a tidal wave of high voltage, which can fry your circuit boards and even your fax machine. It can also save you from headaches, money and time.
A whole home surge protector acts like a filter. The device mounts between your home’s circuit breaker panel and the community’s power grid, blocking unwanted voltage. When a surge occurs, the protector diverts excess voltage to a ground wire, preventing feedback.
There are two classes of whole home surge protectors. Type 1 devices are line-side devices fitted between the utility cable and your breaker panel. They offer the highest available ratings for such devices. Although they are not as robust as type 2 devices, these types of products are a good way to keep the most expensive of your gadgets safe.
In addition to protecting your gadgets, a whole home surge protector can also prevent costly damage from external power fluctuations. These spikes can affect the rest of your electrical system, damaging your fax machine and refrigerator circuitry and even your satellite systems. Whole home surge protectors come with a limited warranty, so it’s worth spending the extra money for peace of mind.
Luckily, most whole home surge protectors are fairly inexpensive to install. Having a professional do the job is recommended, since improper installation could invalidate your insurance coverage. To choose the best, you need to think about your home’s electrical layout and the types of appliances you own. You also need to decide if you’re willing to spend the extra time and money on the more complicated installations.
Having a whole house surge protector will also decrease the number of maintenance calls you make to repair damaged electrical equipment. Installing a whole home surge protector is the most affordable and effective way to protect your home. It will protect all of your electronics, from the smallest to the largest. And it will take just a few minutes to install.
