Imagine suddenly needing to replace every electronic device and appliance plugged into your home’s electrical system. Unfortunately, this is a reality for many unlucky homeowners. When a power surge strikes your home, it can overheat valuable electronics rendering them unusable. Fortunately, Mr. Electric of Madison installs whole house surge protectors in Madison and Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. Learn more about the benefits of installing a whole house surge protector.
What Does a Surge Protector Do?
A surge protector for your house provides comprehensive protection from potential power surges. Mr. Electric of Madison installs these permanent units into your electrical panel, just like your circuit breakers. The surge protector will constantly monitor the voltage of power flowing into your home. If the voltage should spike, it will redirect the flow of electricity within less than a nanosecond. This effectively prevents the excess electricity from reaching your devices such as TVs, computers, refrigerators, or other valuable appliances.
Will a Power Strip Surge Suppressor Protect Me?
Many homeowners wonder whether they can just use a power strip with a surge suppressor to protect themselves. While this does offer limited surge protection, it is not a substitute for a whole house surge protector. Power strips like these use a metal oxide varistor (MOV) to monitor for spikes in voltage. You cannot install these power strips in your entire home. So, they leave large electronics, like freezers, ovens, refrigerators, and laundry appliances, vulnerable. These small surge suppressors also have a tendency to fail when there is a massive surge in voltage, sometimes letting the extra electricity pass through.