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How To Protect Your Electrical Appliances From A Power Surge

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Brittany Wolfe
How To Protect Your Electrical Appliances From A Power Surge

Power surges are one of the most common causes of electric appliance damage. A power surge may occur unexpectedly and your electric appliances that are connected to an outlet during that time are at risk of being damaged. 

A power surge is basically a sudden, temporary increase in the voltage or current passing through the electrical circuit and it is potentially damaging to electrical appliances. Sensitive electrical devices are always at a risk of degradation in case of a power surge, which is why it is essential to protect your home and appliances from it. A residential electrician in Stuart can help in protecting your home electronics. Here are some ways in which you can protect your house against power surges.

 

Install a surge protector for your entire home

A whole-house surge protector is very essential to protect the electrical appliances from damage by surges. A surge protector will serve as a gateway through which the electricity enters your house. When there is a sudden increase in power, the surge protector will automatically turn off the power supply to your home and transfer the excess current to the grounding wire.

 

Surge arrestors

Installing a surge arrestor is a great way for protection against sudden power surges. The surge arrestor is typically installed at the point where the electricity is transmitted to all the circuits in your house and thus protects it against a spike in voltage. Surge arrestors can protect your house from power surges up to around 6000 volts, there are social arrestors as well that can protect from surges as high as 20,000 volts.

 

Added protection for sensitive devices

Even with a surge protector installed, some electronic devices are sensitive enough to be damaged by a power surge and in such cases, it is essential to provide extra protection for these devices. Computers and refrigerators are some of the most sensitive electrical appliances and to protect them you can use surge stations for the cable lines, use power strips, and use an uninterruptable power station (UPS) for the computers. You can discuss with a licensed electrician Jupiter to find the right solution.

 

Upgrade the AC

If you notice power surges with no apparent reason then your AC may be the culprit behind it. Air conditioners are turned on and off multiple times during the day and as a result, it can lead to increased current flow in the building, which may eventually lead to a power surge.

To prevent this from happening you can upgrade your AC unit to a new, energy-efficient one. An energy-efficient air conditioning unit requires less electricity to operate and as such the likelihood of a surge reduces.

 

Unplug all the devices during bad weather

Whenever you see a  storm approaching it is best to unplug your electric appliances for a while. Lighting strikes are a major cause of electric surges and thus have the potential to damage or destroy your electric devices. When there is a storm, unplugging your electronics is the best safety measure to protect them.

 

Check the wiring

Damaged or exposed electrical wiring has a low resistance to and can easily disrupt the flow of electricity, thus increasing the possibility of an electric surge. To prevent this from happening you should inspect the wiring from time to time. Notice for any buzzing sound or vibration coming out of an electric outlet, there may also be scorch marks or burning smell in the outlets. If your circuit breaker trips regularly, it may also indicate faulty wiring. If you notice one or more of these signs, call a residential electrician in Stuart to safeguard your home against electrical damage.

 

Check for proper grounding 

If your electrical devices are damaged even after installing surge protection devices then there may be a problem with grounding. If the wires are not grounded properly, surge protections won't work as the surge protectors suppress an electric surge by transferring it to the ground.

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Brittany Wolfe
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