How Does a Whole House Surge Protector Work?

What exactly does a whole-house surge protector do? If not, then educate yourself. Protect your home from dangerous power spikes and surges with a whole-house surge protector. All sorts of kitchen appliances can be harmed by power surges, including dishwashers, refrigerators, microwaves, ovens, and more.

A whole-house surge protector is the best defense against potentially dangerous power fluctuations. Even the electric heaters and air conditioners that are hardwired into your home are safe from power surges and other electrical hazards with the help of this device.

Read on if you’re curious about which whole-house surge protector is the best for your needs. This page contains additional information about it and the services it provides.

Contents

What is a Whole House Surge Protector?

An individual may incorrectly assume that a surge protector actually provides protection from surges simply because the word “surge” appears in the product’s name.

And yet, what does this imply? All-in-one water filter tanks and whole-house surge protectors serve the same purpose—to filter out unwanted particles while letting the water through.

To put it plainly, the entire electrical system in your home has a built-in safety net made of metal mesh that screens out (or blocks) any irregular voltage coming into your home before it can damage anything important like appliances or electronics plugged into outlets while allowing regular electricity to pass through unimpeded.

Voltage spikes are quite common in today’s technologically advanced society. Each and every electrical appliance in your home, from dishwashers and refrigerators to televisions and lamps, can benefit from having a surge protector installed as the first line of defense against these surges.

An electrician’s expertise is required for installation, so a surge protector isn’t cheap, but it’s well worth it if you value your possessions and sanity above the risk of ever losing them to power surges.

Lightning strikes often destroy electronic gadgets with microprocessors because of power surge damage. If you want some, then you shouldn’t hesitate to buy them now.

Where Is the Surge Protector Installed Around the House?

The electrical panel is the ideal place to install a whole-house surge protector. If your property has an unfinished basement or even just concrete floors on one level without any connection to the earth, your surge protector may not be very effective.

Whole-House Surge Protection Benefits

Whole-house surge protection has several advantages, and if you haven’t already, you may want to think about making that investment. You can use this information to figure out if it is a good choice for you and your family.

More and more electronic devices are becoming commonplace in today’s society. Present day home appliances have circuit boards so intricate that power surges can fry the electronics.

Even the most cutting-edge LED light bulbs use a micro circuit board that is especially vulnerable to the dangerous voltage and current spikes that can be triggered by lightning and other natural disasters.

Up to 80% Of Power Surges Occur in Homes.

Surges in electrical current are not just an annoyance but also a potential threat to the longevity of your appliances and devices.

Electrical surges can be caused by common household appliances like air conditioners and motors, and even little surges can have a cumulative effect. Keep an eye out for these tidbits, and note when power surges occur, so you can react swiftly if necessary.

Should You Do It Yourself or Hire a Pro?

As previous power failures have shown, whole-house surge protectors are essential for any home with electrical appliances. The average installation time is 2 hours, and it demands expertise that most homes don’t have.

Professional grounding work ensures proper function even if there is no working ground wire present or another fault exists within the wiring design, so having a pro install these devices is a good way to protect your entire home from potentially dangerous voltage fluctuations (loose connections).

What You Should Know About Whole-House Surge Protection Installation

When it comes to protecting your home from surges, nothing beats a whole-house protector. It’s more cost-effective than a point-of-use system and can prevent power surges by as much as 80%. Of course, what’s the bad news? It’s time to replace some of the wirings in your home’s breaker box.

Imagine how wonderful it would be for families with young children or elderly relatives to have a whole-house surge protector that does not interfere with individual conveniences.

Some factors to consider before attempting the installation are listed below; working on these power circuits might be harmful to your home’s electrical equipment if you don’t know what you’re doing.

  • Be sure to grab the basics, like duct tape and wire cutters/strippers.
  • The entire house’s electricity will be turned off during installation, so make sure you have a backup LED lamp ready.
  • Before starting any installation work, check with a voltage detector to make sure the breaker is turned off to protect yourself from electric shock.
  • Keep the manual handy at all times if you’ve recently purchased an SPD. Check your manual for specific instructions on setup and operation, as this varies by manufacturer.
  • A surge protector is a vital piece of equipment for safeguarding your electrical devices from damaging power spikes. The unit may be replaced considerably more quickly and easily if it is mounted outside the panel rather than within.
  • SPDs typically have 4 wires and are panel-mounted. 1 white, 1 black, and 1 green for the ground.
  • It’s a good idea to double-check that everything is running smoothly by reading the user manual after the installation is complete. You shouldn’t turn on the main breaker until you’ve double-checked everything.
  • It is crucial to ensure that your power suppressor has adequate capacity for optimal protection by checking it often. Then you may be assured that you’ll be safe from power surges and other electrical hazards at all times!

Providing Comprehensive Electrical System Protection

A whole-house surge protector shields not just your electrical system but also all of the gadgets and appliances in your home against harmful power surges.

In the event of a transient surge, a circuit breaker or power strip can isolate the source appliance from the rest of the house for up to 30 feet.

Have a conversation with your electrician about installing surge protection throughout the entire home. If you have an expensive electrical setup or home entertainment system, this is of paramount importance.

It’s time to get some whole-house surge protectors if you have a habit of unplugging appliances from a shared circuit while the power is still on; otherwise, both appliances and any other devices plugged into that outlet could be damaged from the lack of current.

It is recommended that a power conditioner with surge suppression be installed to deal with shared circuits.

What Kinds of Incidents Does It Protect Your Electronics From?

  • Appliances like dryers, washers, stoves, refrigerators, dishwashers, smart devices, computers, televisions, and LED light bulbs all had their delicate electronic circuit boards fried.…
  • Up to 80% of your home’s power surges come from main appliances turning on and off, causing small bursts of surplus energy that wear out your electronics over time.
  • Voltage spikes and fluctuations might cause serious damage to your home as a result of disruptions in power supply caused by downed utility lines or nearby homes.
  • Direct strikes from the lightning.

Which Electronic Devices Are the Most Likely to Be Damaged by a Power Surge?

Power surges can destroy multiple parts of today’s high-tech electronics.

The most vulnerable part is the microprocessor, which could damage HVAC systems, kitchen appliances, and even home theater systems.

Because of their widespread use, microprocessors are vulnerable to transient voltage spikes because of their proximity to other electrical components. You might as well say your goodbyes now, for a surge will destroy your equipment and taint the environment.

This is NOT a how-to guide for installing a surge protector in your entire home.

Hire an electrician or qualified technician with knowledge in the industry for guidance and support if you have any doubts about how to proceed with the installation. If you want to make sure that everything goes well, you need to make sure that you follow all of the safety precautions to the letter.

Your home will be protected from future surges, and you won’t have to worry about broken or malfunctioning electronics.

Take advantage of modern conveniences like electricity without stressing over their safety.

Conclusion

The best protection against potentially dangerous power fluctuations is a whole-house surge protector. Power surges can destroy your kitchen appliances, including your dishwasher, refrigerator, microwave, oven, and more. Due to the complexity of their design and the need for an electrician’s assistance in their installation, surge protectors are not cheap. Unwanted spikes in electricity flow can shorten the lifespan of your electronics and appliances. Protection from power surges at the whole-house level can be as high as 80%.

However, few households have the time or skill to complete the two-hour installation process. If you want to keep your electronics safe from damaging power surges, you need a surge protector. If you frequently unplug electronics from a circuit while the power is still on, you should invest in whole-house surge protectors. Your home could be severely damaged by voltage spikes and fluctuations. A microprocessor’s inherent weakness makes it a potential weak spot in otherwise reliable HVAC, kitchen, and home theater systems. This is NOT intended to be a comprehensive tutorial on wiring a whole-house surge protector.

Content Summary

  • Protect your home from dangerous power spikes and surges with a whole-house surge protector.
  • A whole-house surge protector is the best defense against potentially dangerous power fluctuations.
  • All-in-one water filter tanks and whole-house surge protectors serve the same purpose—to filter out unwanted particles while letting the water through.
  • Every electrical appliance in your home, from dishwashers to TVs to lamps, can benefit from a surge protector.
  • The electrical panel is the ideal place to install a whole-house surge protector.
  • Whole-house surge protection has several advantages, and if you haven’t already, you may want to think about making that investment.
  • You can use this information to figure out if it is a good choice for you and your family.
  • Whole-house surge protectors are essential for any home with electrical appliances.
  • It’s more cost-effective than a point-of-use system and can prevent power surges by as much as 80%.
  • It’s time to replace some of the wirings in your home’s breaker box.
  • Before starting any installation work, check with a voltage detector to make sure the breaker is turned off to protect yourself from electric shock.
  • Keep the manual handy at all times if you’ve recently purchased an SPD.
  • Check your manual for specific instructions on setup and operation, as this varies by manufacturer.
  • A surge protector is a vital piece of equipment for safeguarding your electrical devices from damaging power spikes.
  • A whole-house surge protector shields not just your electrical system but also all of the gadgets and appliances in your home against harmful power surges.
  • Have a conversation with your electrician about installing surge protection throughout the entire home.
  • It is recommended that a power conditioner with surge suppression be installed to deal with shared circuits.
  • Voltage spikes and fluctuations might cause serious damage to your home as a result of disruptions in power supply caused by downed utility lines or nearby homes.
  • You might as well say your goodbyes now, for a surge will destroy your equipment and taint the environment.
  • This is NOT a how-to guide for installing a surge protector in your entire home.
  • If you’re unsure how to install, use an electrician or experienced expert.
  • If you want to make sure that everything goes well, you need to make sure that you follow all of the safety precautions to the letter.
  • Your home will be protected from future surges, and you won’t have to worry about broken or malfunctioning electronics.

About Blake Sutton

Blake has worked as an electrician for over 10 years, receiving his Journeyman Electrician license in 1998. Looking to take his professional electrical career further, in 2008 he received his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) from the University of Texas in Austin. Blake now works full time as an electrical engineer, specializing in power systems.