Thursday, May 2, 2024

6 Best Whole-House Surge Protectors of 2024 Are Whole-House Surge Protectors Worth It?

whole house surge protection

Fast-forward another five years and her area of expertise includes home decor, appliances, tech, and outdoor adventure gear. In her spare time, you'll find her planning her next trip, reading historical fiction, and seeing as much art as she can squeeze into a weekend. Another plus is that you can install it without purchasing extra materials, as it’s compatibility with any standard 30-amp 2-pole circuit breaker. You'll likely also see CSA on packaging, which is the equivalent Canadian standard certification for electrical and mechanical products. For added durability, it has a metal case that keeps the unit protected in the event of an emergency. The enclosure helps make the connection to your current panel convenient and safe.

Protect Devices With Battery Backup Surge Protectors

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Additional Outlet Installation

HGTV's Renovation 911 Stars Teach You How To Protect Your Home From A Freak Lightning Strike - House Digest

HGTV's Renovation 911 Stars Teach You How To Protect Your Home From A Freak Lightning Strike.

Posted: Thu, 04 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

The following provides a comprehensive guide to many of the technical and safety considerations to keep in mind while shopping for the best whole-house surge protector. Installation can be before or after service entrances and utility meter cabinets, but the case is only rated for indoors, not out. A unique facet of this device is that it uses replaceable modules. Virtually every other whole-house surge protector has to be replaced in its entirety after one or more surge incidents, depending on severity. Instead, the Intermatic allows for replacing individual modules, which can be done by simply disconnecting the device. Over time, this could result in considerable savings, especially in areas subject to frequent lightning strikes.

Up to 80% Of Power Surges Occur in Homes.

Insurance companies don’t typically give discounts for surge-protected homes, but investing in protection may very well pay for itself, and then some. That’s what the owners of the house in Acton discovered—too late. Both whole-house and plug-in types can get zapped without your knowing it; look for indicator lights that signal when a unit no longer works. Protection for an average house with 200-amp service will run about $500—including a couple of hours of an electrician’s labor. Separate but smaller whole-house units are recommended for the phone and cable lines. These protect fax and answering machines, televisions, and modems.

Outlet Adapter Surge Protectors

The device can also work well in the small scale commercial buildings. This surge protector is highly compatible and very simple to install. The product dimensions are 14.4-inch x 8.4-inch x 6.9-inch, and it weighs 4.7 pounds. To help you separate the good from the bad – we’ve reviewed the Top 5 Whole House Surge Protectors of 2024. Buy with the confidence that you’re buying high-quality surge protection for your home.

Wiring Replacement

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. There are two components that you must look for when buying a surge suppressor or surge protector device. When it comes to safety, you must look for the individual suppression circuit must be fused to remove MOV (Metal Oxide Varistor) that is inoperative in case an extreme event occurs. It must also provide over current protection when the suppressor is in faulty condition. Regarding performance, you must look for the clamping voltage and the surge current capacity.

Whole House Surge Protectors

This type of surge protector can be installed on a single circuit in the breaker box or on the whole electrical panel itself. Depending on the model, it will protect against large surges and smaller ones. Since there are electrical panel modifications required to install a Type 2 surge protector, a professional electrician should complete the work. Some are designed to shield individual items from the damage caused by power spikes, whereas others—which are the main focus of this article—offer whole-house surge protection. There are two distinct forms of the latter, making three types of SPDs in total.

These can be caused by lightning strikes or power fluctuations from high-surge events such as severe storms and grid outages. The minimum recommended electricity amperage that a surge protector can handle is 40,000 amps. Since a typical lightning bolt is around 30,000 amps, it is important that the surge protector can handle that and then some.

It can be installed inside or outside the box, depending on the exact model’s specifications. Since a whole-house surge protector protects the entire electrical system in a home, it must be located where all of that power is sourced at the panel. A whole-house surge protector will also protect the electrical system itself. Preventing an electrical surge from traveling through a house safeguards electrical wiring, outlets, and circuit breakers. If a home experiences an electrical surge without a surge protector in place, the entire electrical system could need to be replaced, resulting in thousands of dollars in cost. Generally called “strip surge protectors” or “receptacle surge protectors,” these are popular, low-cost devices that plug into any household outlet.

It comes with a tough thermoplastic NEMA 4X-rated case and can be fitted to any main breaker panel via a double-pole circuit breaker of 30 amps (A) or less. Surge protectors aside from protecting appliances and a home’s electrical system, also ensure that the entire family will remain safe during a power surge. Without a proper surge protection system, a device or electrical outlet that malfunctions could produce sparks, flames, or even entire house fires. All three of these consequences of a power surge can have drastic effects on one’s well-being. The Type 1 and Type 2 whole-house surge protectors we recommend come from well-regarded companies in the industry, including Eaton, Siemens, Square D, Leviton, and Intermatic.

whole house surge protection

In any case, let’s take an in-depth look at what a whole home surge protector is, how it works, the different types of protectors, cost, and a brief overview of the installation. 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. Read on if you’re curious about which whole-house surge protector is the best for your needs.

You might as well say your goodbyes now, for a surge will destroy your equipment and taint the environment. 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. 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.

However, some low-cost devices may need to be replaced after just one significant lightning storm. If temporary loss of power is a major concern, you might want to consider a back-up generator. Before you hit the ground running, it’s important to have a solid understanding of the relevant features of whole-home surge protectors and how they will affect your purchasing decision.

These devices not only protect a home’s fleet of electrical outlets but also every appliance that is left plugged into them during a lightning strike or other surge event. Protecting your home's major appliances and electronics against damage from power surges is a smart move considering the extreme weather that's battering the country from coast to coast. The cost of power surge protection devices varies depending on the brand or manufacturer. This is ultimately due to the fact that the quality will vary from brand to brand. Popular surge protector brands include Eaton, Siemens, Leviton, Square D, and Intermatic.

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