Power surges during the summer months can damage your appliances, electronics, and your electrical system. Fortunately, the right surge protection will help you avoid this problem. These devices defend your home against high-voltage spikes before they reach your wiring.

Why Surge Risk Increases During Summer

There are several threats to your electrical system during the summer season that can lead to damage or equipment failure. For one, thunderstorms and lightning strikes can lead to massive external surges. There’s also added strain on the grid when everyone is using their air conditioning. This can result in rolling blackouts and brownouts.

There are often surges once the power is restored. Furthermore, large appliances, including your HVAC system, can cause mini-surges when they turn on and off. This will slowly degrade your sensitive circuit boards.

Prevention Strategies

You can prevent many emergency repairs by utilizing a quality defense plan. Begin by installing a whole-house surge protector. These will protect every hardwired appliance and outlet in your home. This includes your water heater and stove. This is achieved by using metal components called metal oxide varistors. These MOVs can change the resistance according to the voltage. Normally, they ignore the current. When a power surge strikes, they allow the voltage to pass through to a ground wire.

You could also go with dedicated HVAC protection. Your AC is electronically complex and expensive. Having a dedicated surge protector installed for the condenser provides you with targeted protection.

Use point-of-use protectors for your sensitive electronics. These would be things like your home theater or computer. A good example of this type of protection is a high-quality power strip featuring surge protection.

Your Summer Maintenance Guide

There are many things in addition to surge protection that you can do to further protect your home. Taking advantage of regular maintenance will reduce system failures during the summer heat.

Schedule an annual electrical tune-up to identify corrosion, loose connections, and overloaded circuits. When it comes to your cooling system, make sure your electrical panels and HVAC vents are clean. This ensures proper airflow and prevents overheating. Check outdoor outlets. They should all have weatherproof covers and GFCI protection. Distribute high-energy appliances across several circuits, and avoid stringing multiple extension cords together.

If you’re considering whole-home surge protection to keep your home, appliances, and electronics safe, a local electrician can help. They’ll advise you on the best systems for your specific needs. Next, they’ll safely install your new surge protection in your main electrical panel. Proper wiring and grounding are essential for safely directing excess voltage away from your appliances. When you need surge protection services in Holyoke, MA, contact Duryea.