Do You Know If Your Home Will Weather The Storm?
Learn about home surge protection and be prepared! It is not a matter of IF the power will go out during one of Maryland’s impressive storms. It is just a matter of when the power will be interrupted. Our clients frequently call us to ask questions about home surge protection and how to ensure expensive appliances are safe during an electrical surge after a storm.
Appliances at Risk
Household appliances like refrigerators, washers, dryers, dishwashers, garbage disposals, oxygen tanks, servers, computers, televisions, phones, and electric vehicles are all at risk of damage from an electrical surge. The damage caused by these powerful surges is common and preventable. It can cost tens of thousands of dollars to replace damage. Making sure your family is protected is why we are in business.
Causes of Electrical Surges
Electrical surges can result from faulty wiring, lightning strikes to a home, or a surge of power that results when the electricity comes back on after a power outage. It’s common for storms to wipe out power to whole neighborhoods. When this happens, it is imperative to regularly inspect your home’s electrical wiring and have surge protection in place.
Preventing damage to your home’s electrical appliances can save you time and money. It can even be lifesaving to those who rely on electrical medical devices. Your safety and health are our primary concern. With decades of experience, we want to be your resource for electrical safety.
Experts agree that protecting a home requires a two-pronged approach of individual circuit protection and whole-house suppression of electrical currents. Most people know the value of a surge protector for computers, printers, and phones to limit the common micro surges and protect their assets. Many may be surprised to learn of additional protections available to homeowners with systems that suppress damaging electrical surges to the whole house. Acting as pressure relief valves that take excess power and protect your plugins, the whole home surge protection redirects excess energy to a ground wire.
Winterize your home’s electrical system and be prepared for the next storm that could cause a tidal wave of electricity to pump through your home—confused about where to start to protect your valuable electrical assets from the next storm? Our home surge protection checklist is an excellent place to start; we are here to walk you through the process.
Home Surge Protection – Annual Checkup
- Check for signs of faulty wiring that can cause internal power surges. This can be difficult to check each outlet as they are typically behind the wall. Note outlets that smell like melting plastic, make crackling and sizzling sounds, or have burn marks
- Make sure all electrical outlets have covers and replace broken faces
- Make sure outlets are not overloaded.
- During a storm, unplug any devices that don’t have surge protection, as the current can fluctuate as it comes back on damaging appliances.
- Invest in whole home electrical surge protection.
Protecting your devices from home surges is a big deal! Let JQ Electric check your home and devices to ensure you steer clear of home surge disasters!
