Whole-House Surge Protection by Thrasher Electrical, LLC.’s Lawrenceville Electricians
Electrician Lawrenceville - Surge Protection - Thrasher Electrical
Anyone who has experienced a power surge in their home knows the amount of damage that a split-second rush of voltage can do. Interior wiring can sustain expensive damage, as can home appliances, theater systems and computer equipment. The Lawrenceville electricians from Thrasher Electrical how how to protect your home.
Many homeowners believe that multi-outlet surge strips provide sufficient surge protection; however, most of these models do not have the capability to stop higher voltage spikes, such as those generated from lightning strikes.
Lightning Surge Protection
While lightning is a common cause of power surges, these spikes can generate from a variety of sources. A surge originating from a power company can travel across the entire grid, frying the electronics in hundreds of homes. In 2006, power line repairs caused a spike that impacted nearly 600 residences in several neighborhoods near Washington, DC, causing appliance fires and other significant damage.
Household electrical systems in Gwinnett County can be affected simply by the cycling on and off of certain appliances in the home, particularly those that are heavy energy consumers, such as air conditioners, clothes dryers, and refrigerators. These appliances can cause spikes as high as 1000 volts.
Whole-House Surge Protection
In order to ensure an adequate level of surge protection, it is recommended that homeowners utilize a whole-house surge protection system installed by a Lawrenceville electrition in addition to the plug-in surge strips. A whole-house system consists of a unit that is wired directly to the home’s electrical panel and immediately detects an elevation in voltage, thus deflecting the surge to the ground wire.
The homeowner should ensure that the surge protector has the ability to handle surges coming into the electrical system from the power grid, as well as any spike that could travel through a telephone or cable line. The whole-house surge protector must be minimally rated to handle a 40,000 amp power spike.
A whole-house surge protector should be installed by a licensed Lawrenceville electrician from Thrasher Electrical, LLC. in order to ensure the system is set up and grounded properly. Units range in cost from $100 – $500, plus labor, and can be purchased from a variety of manufacturers, including Leviton, APC and Panamax.
Many insurance companies also offer a discount on homeowners’ premiums for households with a whole-house surge protector installed. Because so many appliances are now equipped with a microprocessor, a power surge can easily cause in excess of $10,000 in damage to wiring and appliances. These systems will provide a significant return on investment in the split-second it takes for a voltage spike to enter a home’s electrical system, thus providing peace of mind for a very economical price.
Call Thrasher Electric, the top rated Lawrenceville electrician at 770-217-7527.
