Most home have so many electronic items that it’s hard to keep track of them – that is, until they don’t work. One of the main causes of electronics burn-out is a power surge. Power surges are huge waves of electricity that flow through your electrical system in just a few seconds, but they can cause a tremendous amount of damage in that short time. In fact, according to insurance statistics, power surges can account for up to a $1 billion dollars’ worth of claims every year, with the average claim coming in around $4,300. But there is a way to help protect your electrical system and electronics from falling victim to a power surge, and that’s by installing whole-home surge protection for your Medina property.
Three Levels of Protection
There are three levels of surge protection: Type 1, Type 2 and Type 3. Type 1 and Type 2 are considered whole-home protectors because of their capabilities. Type 1 surge protectors are installed onto the main electrical line coming into your home, in front of your electric meter; this allows the surge protector to divert a surge of power before it can enter your home. Type 2 surge protectors are installed between the electric meter and your electrical box, which helps protect your home and electrical panel from a surge. Type 3 surge protectors are the strip protectors that plug into outlets. While these types of surge protectors can help protect some of your electronics, they won’t be able to protect large appliances like refrigerators or alarm systems.
How Does It Protect?
When a whole-home surge protector detects a power surge, it automatically re-directs the wave of power to a ground that is part of the system. Why is this important? Power surges can add as much as 40,000-50,000 extra amps to your home’s electrical system; the normal amperage for the average household is 200 amps. Diverting this huge amount of excess power into the ground is the safest and best option for you and your home.
Power surges can occur from weather events, faulty appliances within your home and uneven power distribution in your home. With a whole-home surge protector, you can rest assured that your home, appliances and electronics are protected. Want to find out more?
Call G&S Heating, Cooling & Electrical, Inc., today and schedule an appointment with one of our electrical experts.
