Power surges can happen without warning, and many are so small that they are unnoticeable. These surges threaten your home’s electronics and can destroy them. Frequent spikes in voltage can occur because of weather events and power grid changes. Knowing how to protect your Palm Springs home from power surges is critical. General Air Conditioning & Plumbing can help you understand the dangers and protective solutions.
1. Install a Whole-House Surge Protector
Whole-house surge protectors act as a first defense against power surges entering your home. Electricians install them at the main electrical panel. The surge protector absorbs the excessive voltage with the ground wire before it enters your home’s wiring system, passes through your outlets, and damages valuable electronics.
A whole-house surge protector detects a spike in voltage and isolates the electrical panel to stop the flow. The surge protector restores the flow once the voltage spike calms and the electricity levels return to normal. Professional electricians must install these whole-house models to ensure effectiveness and safety.
2. Use Individual Surge Protectors
Although less effective when used alone, surge protectors can help protect individual appliances, televisions, and computers. When selecting individual surge protectors, choosing one with a high joule rating, ranging from 2000 to 3000, is essential. Individual surge protectors can protect at the outlet level, offering further protection, ideally in addition to a whole-house surge protector.
3. Install a Power Conditioner
Power conditioners offer an additional layer of protection by using metal oxide varistors to detect and divert power surges. These devices provide essential protection if you have high-tech devices like high-powered computers or entertainment centers.
In addition to surge protection, they ensure the smooth operation of your electronic devices. Power conditioners help filter out excess noise, protecting sensitive components damaged by interfering waves. Electricians install power conditioners between the power source and the electronic device.
4. Use Uninterruptible Power Supplies
An uninterruptible power supply, or UPS, is a battery-backed power source that allows all your electronics to continue operating, even if the electricity drops or cuts out briefly. These devices offer protection against electronic damage caused by sudden outages or voltage drops. We recommend these devices for computers, routers, and modems so you do not face data losses or internal hardware corruption.
5. Consider Smart Surge Protection
Smart surge protectors are helpful in Palm Springs when risky conditions develop. You can control them from your cell phone, making it easy to shut off power to attached appliances and electronics to protect them during a storm or power grid issues. You can also monitor voltage fluctuations from your cell phone and even receive notification warnings when they occur.
6. Maintain or Upgrade Your Electrical Panel
Your home’s electrical panel serves as the main hub for your electrical system. Here, power enters from the utility grid, and the panel distributes the electricity to the rest of your home.
Older electrical panels, most likely in homes built before the 1990s, cannot handle the high demands of today’s appliances and electronics. Outdated panels or those with poor maintenance are more likely to cause internal power surges, overloads, and electrical hazards like fires.
Considering a panel upgrade and ensuring its compatibility with the whole-house surge protector is essential. A panel upgrade will help diminish internal power surges and increase the capacity for your home technology needs.
7. Install Surge-Protective Outlets
Standard outlets offer zero protection for power surges. If one gets past the electrical panel, it will enter the outlet and potentially damage electronics or appliances. You should install these outlets in areas where you plug in valuable appliances, such as in the kitchen or home office. General Air Conditioning & Plumbing offers outlet installation to help you upgrade your Palm Springs home for more effective surge protection.
8. Purchase a Backup Generator
Power outages and the following startups can create significant power surges that impact your appliances and electronics. Purchasing a whole-home backup generator with an automatic transfer switch will ensure seamless power transitions when the electricity goes out in Palm Springs.
These devices can help reduce the risks of voltage overloads once the electricity gets restored. Whole-home generators detect electricity outages and respond within a few seconds. Not only do these devices protect against damaging power surges, but they also provide convenience and security because you never have to worry about power outages.
9. Seek a Professional Wiring Inspection and Potential Upgrades
Outdated or damaged wiring can increase the risks associated with power surges, potentially creating further damage. These issues often occur more during weather events but can happen anytime.
A licensed electrician will inspect your electrical system in its entirety. They will pay particular attention to areas that experience wear and tear, including the basement, attic, and crawl spaces. Electricians look for signs of damage and can recommend wiring upgrade services if necessary.
10. Secure Proper Grounding for Your Electrical System
Proper grounding is an essential component of your electrical system. When properly grounded, your home’s electrical system sends any excess voltage into the earth to help reduce any impacts that may cause damage. Inadequate or missing grounding can lead to appliance and electronic damage that becomes costly to repair or replace. Professional electricians can check your electrical system for proper grounding to protect outlets and panels from overloads.
Advantages of Whole-Home Surge Protection
Whole-home surge protection offers many advantages that give great peace of mind. It helps to know how these systems and interventions can benefit your home and family if you are considering seeking protection.
Prevents Cumulative Damage
Frequent surges, no matter how minor, can lead to wear and tear in your electronics and appliances. Whole-home surge protectors and other initiatives can help extend the lifespan of the devices in your home.
Reduces Financial Loss
Appliances and electronics are expensive. Power surges can damage them, resulting in costly repairs or the need for replacements. Installing a whole-home surge protector might just save you thousands of dollars in high-value appliance and device damage.
Enhances Your Family’s Safety
Surge protectors can help reduce the risks of electrical fires from excess voltage spikes causing overheating in your electrical system. Your surge protector gives you peace of mind, knowing your family is safer.
Decreases Data Loss Risks
Data loss is a risk during power surges if your home has computers and smart technology. Computer hard drives can become corrupted, causing massive damage that is sometimes irreparable. A whole-home surge protector can help protect your data, especially with other forms of protection, including anti-virus software.
Improves System Reliability
Surge protectors help stabilize the voltage levels entering your home, allowing your electronics and appliances to perform at optimized levels without experiencing damage due to improper shutdowns. For instance, the latest gaming consoles can suffer severe internal hardware damage if electricity outages shut them off without a proper shutdown.
Offers Potential Homeowner’s Insurance Savings
Installing protective devices like whole-home surge protectors may qualify you for discounts on your homeowner’s insurance policy. The insurance carrier reduces your costs because you reduce the risks of electrical fires with installation.
Consider Your Whole-Home Surge Protection Options
General Air Conditioning & Plumbing offers a full range of surge protection services and emergency solutions. As an HVAC, plumbing, and electrical company, we offer installation, maintenance, and repair services to keep your home and family comfortable and safe. Our team provides services for indoor air quality, drains, EV chargers, lighting, and more. Operating since 1984, we stand behind our work 100% for your satisfaction.
Call our expert electricians at General Air Conditioning & Plumbing if you want a whole-home surge protector!
