A power surge can do a lot of damage to the electrical system in your home and to the electronics or appliances that are plugged into the circuit that's affected. An electrician may need to repair your electrical panel and wiring if it was damaged by the surge.

Since an electrical surge can be caused by a number of things and can happen at any time, consider talking to your electrician about having a whole-house surge protector installed in your electrical panel when repairs are done. Here's a look at why one of these devices is useful for protecting your home.

What Causes A Power Surge?

A power surge could be caused by the equipment in your home. When appliances first turn on, they use much more power than they do when they run continuously. So, every time your microwave, refrigerator, or window air conditioner kicks on, it creates a small power surge which you may notice in the form of flickering lights. While this surge isn't generally enough to damage your electrical panel, it should still be checked out by an electrician. At the least, it could cause damage to your more sensitive electronics.

Power surges can also be caused by lightning strikes which send a powerful rush of electricity through the power lines. A strike can destroy your television or computer if your equipment is plugged in and not connected to a power surge protector. Power surges can also be created by the power company's equipment. Any surge or trouble with their lines could be transmitted into your house.

Why Whole-House Surge Protection Is Important

You can protect your computers and televisions by plugging them into surge protection power strips, but the rest of your appliances and electronic equipment is not protected. Modern appliances, such as washers, dryers, stoves, and refrigerators often have computers in them that can be destroyed by a power surge.

Even an expensive smartphone is at risk when it's charging if it isn't plugged into a surge protector. A whole-house surge protector attaches to the electrical panel of your home, so every outlet in your house is protected from a power surge. This spares you from expensive damage from lightning during a storm and any other cause of a surge.

How To Get Whole-House Surge Protection

A whole-house surge protector is a device that connects to your home's electrical panel, and it needs to be installed by an electrician. A good time to do it is when electrical repairs are done or when you have an electrical upgrade, but you can have the protector installed at any time for your peace of mind.

Working on an electrical panel is dangerous, so this is a job for a professional for your safety and to make sure the equipment is properly installed. If your home has a lot of electronic devices and computerized appliances, then protecting them from a power surge is important because repairs could be very expensive if their computer components are damaged during a storm.