Is Surge Protection Worth It?
Are you asking yourself, “Is surge protection worth it?” The truth is, there are many benefits of surge protection. In this post, we will dive into what surge protection is and why it’s important.
Surge protection involves the process of protecting your appliances or devices from voltage spikes. Given the crazy amount of power that devices now have, surge protection is more important than ever. If you have too much voltage running through an outlet, it can cause electrical issues or even a fire. To help prevent this problem, surge protectors are used.
Surge protection comes in many different forms, but the most common is a power strip with a surge protector built in. This equipment allows you access to multiple outlets, while still keeping your home and devices safe.
Get a quick overview on why surge protection is worth it before exploring details further below.
- Stop power surges caused by voltage spikes
- Protect your electrical components from damage
- Avoid overloading your system and starting a fire
- Get up to 10 convenient outlets in your power strip
- Gain peace of mind in performance and fire prevention
1. Helps Prevent Electrical Problems
If you’re trying to decide if a surge protector is worth it, it’s important to understand what a power surge is. A power surge happens when a high amount of energy is passed through to a device or appliance that is higher than the amount of energy that is designated for that electrical system. For example, in a normal home in the United States, the standard electrical voltage is 120 volts. Once the voltage rises passed 120, a surge or spike can happen.
One of the biggest threats of a power surge or spike is the damage to your electrical components. A power surge can burst wires, damage electrical equipment, and even cause a fire. Even if a power surge doesn’t completely break your electrical equipment, it can put more strain on your components. Over time, this continuous strain on your electrical system can cause some severe issues.
2. Protects Your Equipment
Another reason that surge protection is important is because it protects your devices from failure. Lightning strikes are one of the most dangerous causes of power surges in the United States and surge protectors do their best to keep us safe. However, even the best surge protectors won’t be able to handle the power of lightning.
A far more common cause of power surges involves using high-power devices like refrigerators and AC units. Given that these systems constantly turn on and off and use varying amounts of power, surges can happen in your electrical system. If a surge protector isn’t installed, you could risk losing the equipment you need.
Computers are another common device that are susceptible to power surges. Given their high prices and the amount of power they use, these devices should be a priority for protection. The higher the power of a machine or device, the greater the risk for an electrical disaster. To protect the devices you care about most, investing in surge protection is vital.
3. Prevents Devastating Fires
The flow of electricity works very similarly to the flow of water through a hose. One end supplies high pressure that flows to the other end with low pressure. The same works in our electrical systems. When one end of the wire has high power, it’s transferred to the other end with low power. But, when that power exceeds the maximum threshold, an electrical disaster can occur.
While it might mean a broken refrigerator or another device, electrical disasters can also lead to house fires. When an electrical system can’t keep up with the demand of power, it can actually cause a wire to burst into flames. Additionally, the higher the amount of power you have, the more at risk you are of a house fire. So, if you’re still considering if a surge protector is worth it, you should consider how important your home is to you. Not only can you risk losing one of your favorite devices, you can risk burning down your home.
4. Gives You Access to Multiple Plugs
Another great reason to participate in surge protection is that you can gain access to multiple plugs. One of the worst parts about the electrical components in our homes is that most of our wall outlets only come with two plugs. While this helps prevent power surges, it also poses some inconvenience.
The most common surge protectors include power strips, making them a great excuse to take advantage of the multiple plugs when you need them. While you’re used to only having two plugs in an outlet, now you might have up to 10! However, it’s important to keep an eye on the type of devices you plug into your power strip. Although you should be protected with every plug in use, plugging multiple high-power devices into a single surge protector is not recommended.
While these power strips provide the surge protection qualities you can depend on, you’ll also have access to multiple plugs for your favorite devices!
5. Provides Peace of Mind
One of the most important reasons to purchase surge protectors for your home is the peace of mind that they’ll provide. If you’re constantly worrying about house fires or power surges, buying surge protectors will allow you to relax, knowing that your home and family are protected. It’s easy to get caught up and forget to purchase a surge protector or two, but doing so will allow your family to not worry about these devastating electrical problems. Give your family the protection they need by buying a surge protector today!
On Time Electrical Can Help!
If you’re still asking yourself, “Is surge protection worth it?” give On Time Electrical a call today and we can have a conversation about why surge protection is vital for your home.
Still have questions about how surge protectors work? Want to hear more about the different models available? On Time Electrical is here for all of your electrical needs. We proudly serve Charlotte, NC and surrounding areas with the most dependable electrical services in the area. Call us today to make an appointment!