Electricity isn’t something most of us think about. We plug our devices into the wall, and although you can’t see it, smell it, or taste it—it’s there. While the current flows at a steady rate most of the time, electrical storms and issues with the power-grid can cause surges and spikes in the voltage. If your devices aren’t protected when this happens, the increase in electricity can damage or destroy your expensive computers, televisions and other appliances. You need surge protection to prevent this type of damage in your Grosse Pointe Farms home—and if the spike or surge is too great and the surge protector fails, most companies include a warranty that covers the devices connected to it.
How They Work:
When a surge or spike is detected, the components in the surge protection device redirect and dissipate the excess voltage. Many surge protectors include connections for your cable and phone lines, as electricity from a lightning strike will travel through anything conductive.
Choosing the Correct Type:
You can choose from single outlet, power strips and whole home surge protection. Most people choose a power strip, since it can protect multiple devices at once. And, you can use it to control your electricity costs by shutting off devices that drain power even when they’re “off,” like televisions and stereos. Choose a whole home system to protect your heavy-duty appliances like washing machines and air conditioners. Also take note: these devices can only take so many spikes and surges, make sure to replace them if the indicator lights no longer show the device as protected.
How Surge Protectors Are Rated:
- Clamping voltage – This tells you how many volts it takes to trip the protection circuit. The closer the rating to 120 volts, the better.
- Joules – How much energy the surge protector can absorb. Higher is better.
- Response time – How fast the surge protection device responds to a surge. Lower is better, but most devices operate quickly enough to match the incoming spike.
For more tips on how to keep your home and belongings safe in Southeast Michigan, contact Aladdin Heating & Cooling.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Warren, Michigan about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about surge protection and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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