Surge protectors are common devices in many households, and for good reason. Surge protectors are the most reliable way to protect your sensitive appliances and electronic devices against power failures and surges. A power surge is an increase in voltage in a circuit, and this can result from a number of different causes.
Lightning strikes might be the most familiar cause of power surges, but they are actually one of the least common.
Power surges are more often caused by using high-powered electrical devices.
Surges are also caused by power outages. When the power is restored to your home after an outage, the returning electricity can create a powerful and potentially damaging power surge.
Surge protectors work by redirecting the excess voltage from a power surge away from your appliances. Some appliances are more sensitive than others, so it's important to know what needs to be protected and what doesn't.
Simple appliances like lamps and fans generally don't need protection. The worst a power surge can do to a lamp is burn out the bulb.
High-end electronics, including stereos and entertainment equipment, should be protected. Surges can shorten the lifespan of these devices.
Computers are at the greatest risk, and they should always be connected to a surge protector. Surges not only shorten the lifespan of your computer, but may wipe out all your data.
The most potentially costly appliance needing a surge protector may be your heating and air conditioning system. New, high efficiency models have control boards, compressors, and motors that are unprotected from surges and are not cheap to replace.
Any appliance that contains a microprocessor should be protected.
When you look into purchasing surge protectors for your home, you have a few options, so it's important to choose the right surge protectors for your home's needs. Your options include:
Surge protector strips
Wall-mount surge protectors
Battery backups
Whole-house surge protectors.
The first three types are point-of-use surge protectors, meaning they serve as sort of an intermediary between your appliances and your wall outlets. Whole-house surge protectors are installed on your main electrical panel, and can protect your entire home from most surges.Air Assurance offers specific surge protectors to cover your heating and air conditioning systems. They are backed with insurance coverages, that should they fail to prevent damage, in most cases the surge protector company will pay for your deductable if needed in order to cover those damages.For more information, contact Air Assurance. We've been serving the Broken Arrow area for more than 30 years.Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Air Assurance services Tulsa, Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our current promotions and get started today!