How An Electrical Contractor Can Save You Thousands
Some would call it ironic that areas near Gilroy, CA, and surrounding communities in the Santa Clara Valley recently experienced a barrage of lightning outbursts during Lightness
Awareness Week. From Tuesday night to Wednesday morning, the National Lightning
Detection Network recorded just under 67,000 lightning strikes, with almost 30% of those
striking the ground. Luckily, there were no major injuries, although these strikes caused a
number of small fires and a great deal of property damage through power surges.
Most people associate power surges with lightning, but that’s not where the majority of these surges come from. Surges can also come from non-lightning events like short circuits, electromagnetic pulses, inductive spikes, tripped breakers, power outages, brownouts, and more. Experts estimate that up to 80% of power surge events come from inside your home. For example, appliances that use a lot of energy, like your air conditioner, refrigerator, and electric clothes dryer, can cause mini power fluctuations everything they turn on and off. That’s why you’ll often notice your kitchen lights dim when the fridge kicks on. While these micro-power surges may not cause any noticeable damages, they can create problems over time. Luckily, a whole-house surge protector can keep you, your family, and your property safe during a power surge. These devices are connected directly to your home’s electrical service panel and require professional installation. They use metal oxide varistors to shut down power surges before they turn into real problems. If you’re in the Gilroy, CA, area and don’t want to
deal with the brunt of an internal power surge (or the potential surge caused when the power is restored after an outage), here are five reasons why you should check with a local electrician to explore whole-house surge protector options today.
1. Built For Your Unique Home
Surge protectors come in a variety of shapes and sizes. There are tons of options for whole- house systems that can meet your needs. A typical house with a standard 240-v service relies on an 80kA-rated surge protector. While there are lower-rated systems available, an 80kA provides the most comprehensive protection. There are also systems built specifically for the phone, power, internet, and cable lines. Regardless of your specific needs, a qualified electrician can help you customize a system meant for your unique situation.
2. Enjoy Complete Protection
You might already own a couple of power strip surge protectors, which is certainly better than nothing. At the same time, those point-of-service power strips can only protect the items plugged into them, and they often can’t handle large surges from external sources. A whole- house surge protector not only protects every outlet in your house but also protects your electrical system. You can also layer your surge protection to ensure that a surge at one outlet won’t impact other outlets or equipment on the same line. If you have an intricate home theater or gaming system, talk to an electrician near you to determine if and how layering a whole- house surge protector can work for you.
3. Keep Your High-Tech Gear and Appliances Safe
The modern house contains more tech gadgets, appliances, and equipment than ever before. While you may think that items like computers, smartphones, and tablets are the only high-tech gadgets that need protection, almost every new appliance relies on a circuit board to function properly. Even new LED light bulbs can contain microcircuit boards that are sensitive to power surges. If you have an EV charger in your home, your charging system and your electric vehicle could be at risk. Replacing this equipment alone could cost over $100k, not to mention any other gear that could be damaged inside of your home. A whole-house surge protector protects your high-tech and high-dollar gear from dangerous surges, as a single power surge can damage these circuit boards beyond repair.
4. Prevents Electrical Fires
While external power surges from lightning strikes or other sources can certainly cause real damage, transient surges from inside of your house are just as dangerous. Something as mundane as a high-powered air conditioner motor, or any other appliance that turns on and off frequently, can generate a mini-surge. These mini surges may not be catastrophic, but their effects can build up over time and reduce the life of your appliances. More importantly, any surge that happens inside of your home could lead to overheating, sparks, or electrical arcing, which could lead to a fire. In many cases, hiring the proper electrical services provider can help eliminate the faulty outlets, wiring issues, or aging equipment that put you at risk. A whole-house surge protector can help reduce the risk of a hidden problem becoming a major tragedy.
5. Complement Your Home Owner’s Insurance
Believe it or not, most standard homeowners’ insurance policies do not cover damage caused by power surges. That means any appliances, electrical equipment, or high-tech gear that are damaged from a power surge may not be covered. Can you imagine the cost of replacing multiple appliances all at once? While you can often add this kind of coverage to your policy, it’s going to cost you, and even then, getting the replacement value of your equipment won’t bring back lost data like digital pictures or work files. The best way to ensure that everything in your house is safe from a power surge is to protect everything at the source with a whole-
house power surge protector.
Protect Your Gilroy, CA House With a Whole-House Surge Protector Today
If you’re ready to explore the options of adding a power surge protector to your house or are ready to get started, contact Watson’s Charging Stations & Electric today. Our team of licensed, certified, and professional electricians and electrical equipment installers are ready to get to work. You can get a complimentary and honest assessment without the hassle or pressure you might find with other electrical services providers in the Santa Clara Valley. Work with the team that puts you first; work with Watson’s Charging Stations and Electric today.