We recently encountered a power surge in his neighborhood when a tree took out a power line, emphasized by a big flash of blue light. Of course, a power surge means that electronics that were plugged in that night were at risk of taking on damage. And, true to form, several homes discovered their heaters were out of commission once the power returned due to their electric motors taking on the full brunt of the power surge.
This incident of course prompted Carl to send the word out to remind our valued customers of the importance of surge protectors. Because, when the lights came back on, those in the neighborhood who had these handy devices installed discovered that the only thing the power surge took with it was the protectors themselves!
If you don’t have surge protectors in your home already, you may be wondering what they are and whether they are really needed or not. If Carl’s story wasn’t enough, then let us explain the details a little further.
What Is a Surge Protector?
When we discuss surge protectors, we are referring to whole-house surge protectors. This is not to be confused with plug-in type surge protectors such as surge stations or power strips.
Surge protectors are hardwired into a home’s electrical panel. This system is meant to protect a home’s electrical system and the components that are hooked up to it from voltage spikes like the one that occurred when the tree took out a power line in Carl’s neighborhood.
In most cases, a surge protector can react in less than a nanosecond to stop power fluctuations that would go unnoticed otherwise…that is until they take out a piece of electrical equipment in your house. Normally, a surge protector with a range of 80,000 -amps will be able to protect your home as most power surges are between 10,000 and 50,000-amps. This prevents any major damage from being inflicted on your vital electrical appliances, which means, once the power is back, so is your heater.
“Can I Install My Own Surge Protectors?”
Like we said, whole-house surge protection is hardwired into the home. Unless you happen to be a licensed electrician we advise that you leave the installation up to a professional electrician. Attempting to perform your own electrical work, rather than hiring a trained electrician, can lead to a hose of problems, such as electrical shocks or even creating your own power surge.
The team at Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing wants to help you stay warm when you need it, no matter what. Aside from being able to help you with protecting your heater from power surges, we also provide effective heater services in Jefferson, MD including maintenance, repairs, replacement, and installation. You can always rely on our team of professional HVAC technicians to keep you comfortable all year long.
Contact the team at Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing today to discuss your options for ways to help protect your heater, from surge protection to maintenance and more.