Whole-House Surge Protection
Puget Sound is no stranger to lightning storms. They’re beautiful to watch from a safe distance, especially when they occur over the water. However, when they happen close to home, things can get a little scary. When lightning strikes your home, it can spell disaster for anything plugged in.
Whole-house surge protection helps keep your devices and appliances safe. Read on to discover how surge protection works and why you should have it installed.
What Is Whole-House Surge Protection?
Whole-house surge protection controls unexpected energy flows that could damage your home’s electronics. It’s typically hard-wired by a surge protection installer into your service panel. Surge protection helps protect appliances and major devices from high-level surges that could overwhelm your power bars and household equipment.
Without residential surge protection, your home is at risk for costly damage in the event of a lightning strike or other high-level surge. When a surge floods your electrical system, it can damage the motherboard and other electronic components on any device or appliance, including:
- Washer and dryer
- Dishwasher
- Fridge
- Stovetop
- Computer
- Television
- Water heater
- Furnace
- Air conditioner
- Phone lines
- Cable lines
Power bars or power strips only protect the devices plugged into them, and many power bars aren’t capable of protecting against high-level surges. At a minimum, a power bar should meet UL Standard 1449 with a clamping voltage of 400 volts or less. It should also have L-N, L-G, N-G on the label, absorb 600 joules of energy, and no longer work after a surge damages the circuits.
It’s important to be careful about what you plug into a power bar. Large motor items like air conditioners carry their own low-level surges that can damage other devices plugged into the same power bar.
A whole-home surge protector works best in tandem with a plug-in surge protector, provided you’ve chosen a quality model and don’t overwhelm the bar. Our electricians can offer recommendations to help you safely manage your electrical load.
Can I DIY Install A Whole-House Surge Protection?
Some electrical jobs are okay to do yourself if you have experience working with electricity and use the proper safety precautions. However, whole-home surge protection isn’t one of those things. Any time you work with the main service panel, there’s a significant risk of injury, and safety should always be a top priority.
The installation process also requires know-how and code regulation. The licensed electricians at Kliemann Brothers stay current on all Washington electrical codes and regulations. We take care of any necessary permits and inspections so you can stay focused on what matters most to you.
We know what to look for when choosing a whole-home surge protector and can help you make the most economical choice for your home’s specific needs.
What’s Involved In A Whole House Surge Protection Installation?
When you schedule your professional surge protection installation appointment, the first task is for our electrician to inspect and assess your current system. It’s important that your system has the appropriate existing wiring, including proper grounding.
A high-level surge can also impact cable and phone lines, so it’s common practice to install a separate surge protector dedicated to those lines.
A licensed electrician doing a surge protection installation should take about two hours to complete. The cost can range from about $500 depending on the condition of your current service panel and your home’s electrical needs.
What Is the Lifespan Of Whole-House Surge Protection?
The lifespan of a whole-house surge protector depends on whether it ever receives a surge. In general, most last about five years. Frequent power outages can negatively impact the service life of a whole-house surge protector.
Call Kliemann Brothers For Your Whole-House Surge Protection
Kleimann Brothers is the trusted name for electrical service in Puget Sound. Our expert team of licensed electricians is standing by to help with whole-house surge protection installation services, repair, or replacement. Contact us today to schedule a service or learn more about our surge protection services.