At times when there is bad weather, a power surge could possibly occur. You must guard your electronic devices such as computers, phones, digital clocks and so on against such a dilemma in order to avoid possible damage.
Guarding against surges requires a two-pronged approach: a whole-house suppressor to tame the dangerous power spikes and an individual circuit or plug-in surge suppressor. These are perfect for your vulnerable appliances and electronic devices. Both types essentially act like pressure-relief valves. Normally, they remain idle, allowing electric currents to flow through them. But with higher-than-normal voltage, the devices instantly divert excess voltage to the ground wire. (The best ones react in less than a nanosecond.) As soon as voltage levels return to normal, the flow of electricity is restored, unless the surge was big enough to melt the fuse that is built into some units.
Typically, whole-house suppressors are hard-wired to the service panel, which takes a licensed (License C-10 892870) electrician about two hours to install. USA Electric can definitely do this type of work for you. Whole-house systems should be rated to stop a 40,000-amp surge, at minimum. Features to look for include thermal fuses, lights, or alarms that indicate when a device has gone through a surge. Separate but smaller whole-house units are recommended for the phone and cable lines. These protect modems, televisions, fax and answering machines.
Alone, whole-house suppressors can’t stop surges completely. Up to 15 percent of excess voltage may get through and could still possibly cause a surge. That’s where “plug-in” surge protectors come in. They buffer between individual appliances and wall outlets which come in varieties of options and prices. The size ranges from not larger than a computer mouse to the size of a home printer. They protect all the components in a like a home theater or a large TV. The majority of plug-in models fall into three basic categories: the familiar multi-outlet power strip, the multitasking surge station that can handle phone and cable jacks as well as power cords, and the UPS (uninterruptible power supply), which completely frees the electric power of random spikes and provides a short-term battery backup in case the power gets low or goes out completely.
To protect your home call USA Electric 800 956-9737 for an affordable pricing and tips for protecting your home against surges.
