Are You Sure Your Home is Protected Against Power Surges?

If you have upgraded the appliances in your home to Energy Star approved models, have the latest TV and gaming systems, and have your share of handheld electronic devices, then it is essential that you take the time to learn about power surges. Why? Because a single power surge could destroy all of these things and more. Keep reading to learn how and what you can do about it. Then contact Sonner Electric at 661-728-0126 for all your residential electric needs.

Power Surges Can Have Many Causes

Do you know why power surges happen? There can actually be many different causes, including lightning, bad wiring, appliances switching on and off, downed power lines, significant drops and increases in incoming power, animals or branches conducting energy between live hours, issues with the equipment of the utility company, and rolling blackouts caused by high demand of energy.

It is a Myth That Power Surges Are Not Common

As you can see from the above list, most of the causes of power surges are out of your hands. When you add to that the “fact” that they are not very common, you might assume that there is not much you can do. First, know that they are actually a lot more common than you think. How common? An average home in California will have 20 power surges in a single day.

More than half of all power surges are internal and are caused by large appliances switching on and off. This changes the flow of electricity and can cause a brief power surge. This can be just a few volts from using your hairdryer to hundreds of volts coming from your fridge.

The Seriousness of Power Surges

Lighting is another common cause of power surges. There are more than twenty million lightning strikes in the U.S. each year, and most homeowners’ insurance policies will not cover losses from lighting strikes – including power surges. However, most of the power surges are not this type of dramatic surge that will instantly send up all your appliances in a poof of soot. Instead, they involve small, repeating surges that can slowly kill off your appliances and electronics.

How to Protect Your Home from Power Surges

The best thing you can do to reduce the chance of a serious, life-changing power surge is to talk to a local electrician and find out the status of your home’s electrical grid. If you have too many cords in one outlet, you might find that an electrical panel upgrade is needed. There might be circuit breaker needs. When you contact Sonner Electric at 661-728-0126, we can come to your home and help you find the best way to protect your home and all those within it.