Surge Protection

by Tom Olecki, Owner, Broadview Heating

With the disc

Think about it. Everything we have in our homes is so much more sophisticated and powerful than it was just a decade or two ago. Our televisions, microwaves, entertainment systems, garage door openers, refrigerators, computers, furnaces, air conditioners, thermostats and more have become “super computers” as far as technology is concerned. This sometimes comes at a price because when these items fail to operate, we are limited to just replacing them because repairing is not always an option. This is because some appliances or electrical devices were manufactured without replacement-part support, let alone a technician that can repair if parts were available. Likewise, if the appliance is repairable, often the labor and replacement parts cost can be astronomical.
Buying well-made electrical devices with a good reputation for reliability helps, but anything electrical can be taken out of service in the blink of an eye when the electrical grid develops what is called a “power surge.” These surges are created in the power grid by severe storms, bad transformers on the poles, tree limbs, shorted power lines or issues with our power substations. Power surges are severe voltage spikes that last only microseconds, which happens to be just long enough to blow out your furnace control board or anything plugged into the wall at the time.
Most appliances can be protected from these spikes with an item called a surge or power suppressor. I’m sure you are familiar with the power strips we use to power our computers and monitor.s These have built in surge suppression. This suppression takes any voltage spike and shorts it to ground. These devices are great for anything with a plug, but for items like a furnace, air conditioner or other appliances’ that are hard-wired, they are not an option.
The best insurance for everything in the home is to have whole-house surge protection installed. These devices are professionally installed in your main fuse panel and isolate everything, plugged in or hard-wired, from the damaging effects of transient voltage spikes. It is a simple installation that can be completed in a short amount of time with no tear-up or mess. Best thing is that the cost for whole-home protection installs for under $500 in most cases. Some protectors even come with an equipment coverage warranty. That’s pretty good insurance if all electrical items receive protection and far cheaper than replacing expensive appliances should a spike decide to visit your home.

Questions are always welcome. For free help with your heating/cooling system, ask the experts at broadviewheating@sbcglobal.net or call 440-526-7310.

Tom Olecki, Owner, Broadview Heating

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Questions are always welcome. For free help with your heating/cooling system, ask the experts at broadviewheating@sbcglobal.net or call 440-526-7310.

Opinions and claims expressed above are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of ScripType Publishing.