Power surges happen more often than most homeowners realize. Lightning strikes, downed power lines, and even your own appliances cycling on and off can send sudden voltage spikes coursing through your home's wiring. These surges may last only a fraction of a second, but they're powerful enough to damage or destroy electronics, appliances, and electrical systems worth thousands of dollars.
Don't wait for the next storm to damage your home's electrical system. Call (972) 645-2738 or contact us online today to schedule whole-house surge protection installation.
If you live in the Greater Dallas-Fort Worth or Houston areas, you know that severe weather is part of life. From summer thunderstorms to winter ice storms, our region experiences weather events that put homes at risk. Understanding how whole-house surge protection works can help you make an informed decision about safeguarding your property and peace of mind.
What Causes Power Surges in Your Home?
Power surges occur when the normal flow of electricity is interrupted and then restarted, or when something sends excess voltage through the power lines. While lightning strikes are what most people think of first, they're actually one of the less common causes of surges.
External Causes
Lightning strikes can send millions of volts through power lines, making them the most dramatic source of surges. When lightning hits utility equipment or power lines near your home, that energy has to go somewhere. Even strikes that occur a mile away can affect your electrical system.
Utility company operations also create surges. When power is restored after an outage, or when the electric company switches power grids, you may experience a surge. Damaged power lines, transformer problems, and issues at the power station can all send voltage spikes to your home.
Internal Causes
Your own appliances and systems create small surges throughout the day. When high-powered devices like air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines, or power tools switch on, they draw a large amount of electricity. This sudden demand can create a brief surge that affects other devices on the same circuit. Over time, even these small surges can degrade your electronics and reduce their lifespan.
How Whole-House Surge Protection Works
A whole-house surge protector, also called a surge protection device or SPD, installs directly at your electrical panel. This location allows it to protect every circuit in your home from incoming surges before they reach your outlets and devices.
The device monitors the voltage flowing into your home. When it detects voltage above safe levels—typically anything over 120 volts in a standard household circuit—it diverts the excess electricity safely to the ground wire. This process happens in nanoseconds, fast enough to protect your equipment from damage.
Think of it like a pressure relief valve on a water heater. When pressure builds too high, the valve releases water to prevent an explosion. A surge protector does the same thing with excess electrical voltage, channeling it away from your home's wiring and into the ground where it can't cause harm.
What Whole-House Surge Protection Safeguards
Whole-house surge protection defends all the electrical devices and systems in your home. The protection extends far beyond just your entertainment center or computer.
Major Appliances and Systems
- HVAC equipment: Your heating and air conditioning system contains sensitive electronic controls that manage temperature, airflow, and system efficiency
- Kitchen appliances: Refrigerators, ovens, microwaves, and dishwashers all contain circuit boards that control their functions
- Laundry equipment: Modern washers and dryers use computerized controls that are vulnerable to voltage spikes
- Water heaters: Electronic ignition systems and temperature controls can fail after surge damage
These major appliances represent significant investments. Replacing a damaged HVAC system or refrigerator can cost thousands of dollars, far more than the cost of installing surge protection.
Electronics and Smart Home Devices
Your computers, televisions, gaming systems, and smart home devices are particularly sensitive to power surges. These items contain delicate circuitry that can be permanently damaged by even small voltage spikes. WiFi routers, security systems, video doorbells, and smart thermostats also need protection.
Many homeowners don't realize that modern garage door openers, medical equipment, and even LED light bulbs can be affected by surges. Any device that plugs into an outlet or is hardwired into your home's electrical system is at risk.
The Difference Between Whole-House and Plug-In Surge Protectors
You might already use power strips with built-in surge protection for your computer or television. While these devices provide some protection, they have significant limitations compared to whole-house systems.
Plug-in surge protectors only defend the devices plugged directly into them. They can't protect hardwired appliances like your HVAC system, built-in ovens, or ceiling fans. They also have limited capacity and can wear out over time, especially if they've absorbed several surges.
Whole-house protection works at the electrical panel level, defending everything connected to your home's wiring. It handles larger surges than individual power strips can manage. For the best protection, many electricians recommend using both: whole-house protection as your first line of defense, with quality plug-in protectors adding a second layer for sensitive electronics.
Signs Your Home Needs Surge Protection
Several warning signs indicate your home would benefit from whole-house surge protection. Frequent circuit breaker trips, even when you're not using many appliances, can signal electrical issues that make surges more likely. Flickering lights when appliances turn on suggest your electrical system is struggling with voltage changes.
If you've experienced appliance failures or electronic malfunctions after storms, surges may be the culprit. Many electronic failures happen gradually as repeated small surges degrade components over time. You might notice that light bulbs burn out more quickly than they should, or that appliances seem to wear out faster than expected.
Homes in areas with frequent thunderstorms face higher surge risks. The Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston regions experience their fair share of severe weather, making surge protection particularly valuable for local homeowners.
Installation and What to Expect
Professional installation of whole-house surge protection typically takes two to four hours. A licensed electrician will assess your electrical panel to ensure it can accommodate the device and that your grounding system is adequate. Proper grounding is essential for surge protection to work correctly.
The electrician will mount the surge protector at or near your main electrical panel and connect it to your home's grounding system. They'll test the device to confirm it's working properly and explain how to check its status indicators. Most surge protectors have lights that show whether they're functioning correctly.
Quality surge protectors include warranty coverage that may extend to connected equipment. Keep your installation documentation and warranty information in a safe place. Some devices need replacement after absorbing a major surge, so knowing what's covered can save you money down the road.
Choosing the Right Surge Protection for Your Home
Surge protectors are rated in joules, which measure how much energy they can absorb before failing. For whole-house protection, look for devices rated at 40,000 joules or higher. Higher ratings generally mean longer-lasting protection.
The response time, measured in nanoseconds, indicates how quickly the device reacts to surges. Faster response times provide better protection. Clamping voltage is the threshold at which the device begins diverting excess voltage—lower is better, with 400 volts or less being ideal for home use.
Your electrician can recommend a surge protection system appropriate for your home's size, electrical panel capacity, and the value of equipment you need to protect.
Schedule Your Surge Protection Installation Today
Power surges put your home's electrical systems and valuable appliances at risk every day. Whether from severe weather, utility operations, or your own high-powered appliances, these voltage spikes can cause expensive damage that's entirely preventable. Whole-house surge protection offers comprehensive defense that plug-in protectors simply can't match.
Bacon Plumbing Heating Air Electric serves homeowners throughout the Greater Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston areas with professional electrical services, including whole-house surge protection installation. Our licensed electricians will evaluate your home's needs and install a system that keeps your property and investments safe.
Don't wait until after the next storm to wish you'd protected your home. Call (972) 645-2738 or fill out our online contact form to get started today.
