Your House Electrical Shield
Power surges in your house’s electrical can happen from a variety of causes. Raceway Electric can install whole home surge protection to keep your family, and your appliances safe in case of a power surge.
What is a Power Surge?
A power surge is a brief and sudden increase in voltage or current in an electrical circuit. These surges can cause a lot of damage. Appliances including computers can be affected as the increase in voltage damages electrical parts and motherboards. As electricity increases, it can cause circuits to overheat and become damaged.
Typical power outlets are 120 volts and can go up to 169 volts. A power surge that damages appliances and computers is more than 169 volts. The average cost of a new refrigerator is between $1,500 and $4,000 depending on the type and size. The average price of a mid-range new laptop computer is $1,000, and can increase from there depending on your needs. It can cost homeowners thousands of dollars to replace appliances and electronic equipment damaged in a power surge.
What Causes Power Surges?
The most common causes of power surges include lightning, faulty wiring, overloaded circuits, and power outages.
Lightning Storms
In the spring and summer, Kansas can have incredible thunderstorms with lots of lightning and thunder, and sometimes lightning strikes too close to home. When lightning hits a home, it can send 300 million volts through your house’s electrical system. Rural homes may be more likely to be struck by lightning as there are less structures in rural communities. Some homeowners may choose to install a lightning rod if they have a tall home, or they have trees taller than their home, but within 10 feet.
During a lightning storm, especially if you live in a rural area, unplug any non-essential electrical devices including computers, gaming consoles, and stereos. Unplugging unnecessary devices will protect them in case of a power surge caused by a lightning strike.
Faulty Wiring
When wiring is damaged, it can cause power surges. Exposed wires don’t allow electricity to flow or be directed as it should be, which can cause sudden surges in electricity. This can happen as over the years the insulation on wires is damaged by age or pests like mice. Faulty wiring can cause a short circuit, which can also cause a power surge.
If you notice your outlets or switch cover plates feel warm to the touch, contact the licensed electricians at Raceway Electric right away. This can be an indication that there is damaged wiring and is a fire danger.
If your home was built in the 1960’s or 1970’s it may have aluminum wiring. Unfortunately, aluminum wiring tends to rust which can build up heat and again, becomes a fire risk. If you ever notice a burning smell with your lighting or outlets, turn them off right away and contact the electricians at Raceway Electric.
Any new remodeling projects including house electrical work will have to be up to code, which may require replacement of aluminum wiring. In this case, and for any new electrical work, you should contact Raceway Electric to ensure your project is done safely, securely, and correctly. Immediate replacement of faulty wiring will help prevent power surges.
Overloaded Circuits
When an outlet is overloaded, a power surge can occur. Overloaded circuits happen when too many appliances or electrical devices are plugged into a single outlet or extension cords. The extra power pulling through the circuit to keep the electrical devices powered up can cause a large current that results in a voltage spike and a power surge. This can happen when a homeowner plugs in a power strip with multiple outlets into a single outlet and plugs high-power appliances to the power strip. For example, plugging a refrigerator into a power strip that also powers an air fryer. Both require a lot of power and will likely overload the circuit.
To prevent power surges from overloaded circuits it’s important to understand how much power each appliance uses. Check your circuit breaker to see which appliances are using the same circuit, and you can identify whether a circuit may be overloaded. Certified electricians, like the team at Raceway, can change the circuits those large appliances are on to reduce the risk of overloading your household circuits.
Power Outages
When your area experiences an electrical outage, and the power suddenly turns back on, the sudden jump in the current can create a power surge. This can damage any appliances or electrical devices that are plugged in and were on when the outage occurred, as well as electrical devices that were not on, but were plugged in.
The experts at Ready.gov recommend disconnecting appliances and electronics in a power outage to avoid damage when the electricity is back on.
What to do After a Power Surge
If you have experienced a power surge, there are steps you should take to evaluate your home and appliances for damage.
First, unplug, reset, and turn the power on to all electronic devices.
Second, check out your appliances, outlets, and electrical devices. If you see burn marks, smell smoke or something burning, or see any parts that are cracked or melted, the device is damaged. Immediately unplug these items and contact Raceway Electric right away. If your appliance or electrical device doesn’t power back up, even in new outlets, then it is likely damaged.
Finally, check your HVAC system to make sure it works. Unfortunately, HVAC systems, which draw large amounts of power, are frequently damaged in a power surge. Frequent power surges especially take a toll on these critical house electrical systems.
Protecting Your Home with a Surge Protector
While there are steps you can take to help prevent damage from power surges, one of the best ways to prevent damage is with a whole home surge protector.
If you experience frequent power outages, are in a rural area, or just want to prevent damage to your appliances and electrical devices, a whole home surge protector is a great investment.
What is a Whole Home Surge Protector?
A whole home surge protector is a device that connects directly to your home’s electrical panel. If the surge protector detects a power surge, it will divert the excess power into the ground through a ground wire.
Whole home surge protectors should, at a minimum, be rated to stop a 40,000-amp electrical surge. These devices must be installed by a licensed, professional electrician, like the team at Raceway Electric.
The surge protector device costs more than strip surge protectors but has a much greater capacity for large electrical surges. However, in considering the cost of replacing appliances and electronics, the investment in a whole home surge protector is a smart decision.
Most power surges result from within the home or building from faulty wiring and overloaded circuits. A whole home surge protector will help prevent your home from damaging itself ,allowing you the time to get electrical issues fixed.
Raceway Electric Can Protect Your Home
Raceway Electric can protect your home with the installation of a whole home surge protector. Call us at 316-573-2100 to learn more!
