3 Ways to Protect Your Home from Costly Power Surges

Power surges are sudden bursts of electricity in the power grid, which can put a strain on your home’s electrical wiring, appliances, and fixtures. In fact, power surges can damage or even destroy equipment that you’ve invested thousands of dollars in, as well as cause fire or electrocution if you have faulty wiring or outlets at home. Summertime brings thunderstorms and lightning, but that doesn’t mean you have to dread them! When it comes to power surges, the main thing you have to worry about is overheating appliances, electronics, and even your wires.

Every homeowner fears their home will be the victim of an unexpected power surge, especially after recently experiencing the effects of hurricanes Irma and Harvey. Power surges can cause considerable damage to your appliances, fixtures, and wiring, resulting in costly repairs or replacement bills you may not be able to afford. To avoid this type of chaos in your own home, follow these 3 tips to protect your home from costly power surges and use the right power surge protector by Eaton Australia.

1). Surge protectors

Surge protectors are an affordable way to protect your home against power surges. Here are a few simple ways to get the most out of this investment:

  • Consider installing a surge protector that has filters on all three lines, a 240Vac primary rating, and protection from over-voltage, under-voltage, ground fault interruptions, and earth leakage interrupts. 
  • The surge protector should be installed at the breaker panel or where it splits off into individual branches before reaching your home. -Try locating it as close as possible to your main electrical meter. If you have multiple appliances in one room or hallway, put them on one circuit and then add surge protection for that branch of circuits.
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2). Unplug electronics

One way you can keep your home safe from a power surge is by unplugging any appliance that isn’t in use. This includes microwaves, coffee makers, ovens, and refrigerators. Appliances with a built-in energy-saving feature will help reduce the risk of an electrical event while the product is not in use. Another option is to use power strips instead of extension cords so you can turn off all power to an area of your home at once. You should also regularly inspect your refrigerator for signs of trouble as well as clean out any dust buildup. And finally, ask your power company if they offer customers insurance for potential damages caused by lightning strikes or other emergencies.

3). Use multi-outlet extension cords

Extension cords – These are generally your go-to extension cord and they are great for running off a power strip or in a pinch. But it’s not a great long-term solution. The best fix is getting an outdoor circuit installed, but if that isn’t possible because of the cost or other reasons, use multi-outlet extension cords so you can only use one outlet at a time and this limits what could happen in the event of an outage.