Benefits of Whole-House Surge Protection

You may have heard of whole home surge protectors and wonder what the features are and if it’s a worthwhile investment for your home. According to data from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, power surges and lightning damage caused about $1 billion in insured losses in the U.S. in 2011. This month we conducted a short Q&A session with our Arizona Electric Council member contractor George Robbins, who heads the Electrical Division of Eagle Services about the benefits of investing in whole home surge protection.

Why is it important to have home surge protection installed?
To protect all of your homes circuits and sensitive electrical appliances, stoves, microwaves, dryers with touch screen displays as well as flat screen TV's and audio equipment from surges before they enter the home.

What causes an electrical power surge?
Power companies switching grids during the day, power surges when power is restored after a power outage, lightning strikes up to a mile away, low level surges from the AC unit kicking on, and the lights in the home flickering.

Whole home surge protector, surge suppressor, uninterruptible power supply: all the same?
Surge protection and suppression are the same. They protect the home from unwanted voltage spikes. They limit the voltage to a device by either blocking or by shorting surges to the ground. Uninterrupted power supply provides emergency power when power goes out.

What is the difference between a wall surge protection device and an installed unit?
A wall surge protector only protects that one device; a whole house protects all circuits. Also, power strips are not surge protectors. Power strips only make more outlets for the same existing power source.

How does a whole home surge protector ensure your valuables are protected?
A whole house surge protector from a highly-rated electrical manufacturer such as Eaton Cutler
Hammer is installed at the main panel which protects all circuits in home.

What features should you look for when selecting a surge protection unit?
Make sure it is a trusted product used by industry contractors. The devices response time to surges and joule ratings are important as well as warranty if something is damaged.

What is the pricing range for a whole home surge protector?
$250-$400 installed

Our verdict? A very nominal investment of a few hundred dollars in whole house surge protection can save you from losing thousands of dollars from fried electronics and home appliances. It’s ultimately up to you, but we wanted to provide you with some basic knowledge on surge protection.

Contact ELAHomeRepairs.org at 800-368-PROS (7767) to discuss your home surge protection options in detail with a licensed electrician.