The last thing you want in your home is a power surge. It refers to a sudden and temporary increase in voltage or current in your electrical circuit or outlet. When this happens, it can be devastating to your appliances, connected devices, HVAC services, and overall wiring system. That's why many electricians recommend installing whole-home surge protection that can protect your home from these events. According to IBISWorld, there are over 1 million electricians in the United States. If you're concerned about power surges, finding a local electrician to help shouldn't be difficult. Let's take a look at why this protection is important.

1. Unpredictability of Surges

Unfortunately, power surges can happen at any time. They may happen during a horrible storm when there's lightning. There may be faults with your utilities. If you have large appliances, then a surge can happen when turning them off or on. If you live in a home with old wiring that hasn't been updated, then it's too easy for a surge to occur. When you get regular HVAC services in your home, the professional does have to deal with wiring to connect your unit. If they notice something is wrong, then they can alert you so that you can contact an electrician to deal with it further.

2. Destroyed Devices

The typical American home has several devices running at the same time. The average person has a smartphone as well as a computer or a laptop. Many homes also have more than one smart TV working. It’s no secret that technical devices aren't cheap to buy, so they certainly aren't cheap to replace if they become fried by a power surge. These surges can destroy any device that uses electricity, such as your gaming consoles, printers, routers, modems, cameras, smart devices, and anything else that's plugged into an outlet. If you aren't able to back up any necessary data in time, then you may end up losing important work, such as your kid’s homework or work related to your business. If you are one of the many Americans who are currently working from home as a freelancer or hybrid worker, then your business may be put in jeopardy if your devices are destroyed in a surge.

3. Damaged Appliances

Can you imagine what would happen if you lost the use of all your appliances? Your refrigerator stores all of your food that needs to be chilled. If a power surge destroys that, then you may end up having rotten food that you'll have to replace along with the refrigerator itself. As more Americans deal with the rising cost of inflation, dealing with a refrigerator full of spoiled food is the last thing they need. What about your dishwasher and your washer and dryer? Maintaining clean clothes is part of maintaining a sanitary home. If you have to spend additional money to replace your washer and dryer or drive to a laundromat, that could be a major hit to your household budget.

Can you imagine having a call HVAC services again in the dead of summer if you're dealing with a heat wave or high humidity? Unfortunately, your HVAC unit may be ruined in the event of a power surge and could cost you several thousands of dollars to replace. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 11,000 Americans have died from heatstroke since 1979. If you're out of a workable HVAC unit during a heat wave, then it can have devastating health consequences for you and anyone else who lives in your home. You can help prevent this by making sure you have whole-home surge protection.

4. Safety

Maintaining a safe home goes beyond keeping it clean. You also have to protect yourself from intruders. If you have a security system like most that also relies on wiring, then a power surge can fry it. If your security unit is down because of a loss of power, then that puts you and your family in danger, especially if it can't be fixed right away.

5. Fried Electrical Wiring and Outlets

Can you imagine what would happen if all of the electrical wiring in your home got completely destroyed? Not only would fixing it be an expensive endeavor to undertake, but it would also be a major safety hazard. Fried electrical wiring is a fire hazard as well as a shock hazard. If you were plugging something in at the wrong time, then it's possible that you or someone in your home could be electrocuted.

6. Excessive Repairs and Replacements

The cost of inflation and recovering from the COVID crisis is still hurting a lot of Americans. The last thing anybody needs is to replace wiring, appliances, and devices and restore data that can affect their home or educational practices. It can take weeks or months to replace all of your fried devices and appliances. If you have to rely on your savings, then you may end up emptying out your savings and having to start over from scratch just to make your home a comfortable place to live again. That could put you in a vulnerable position because it can affect you and your family's financial stability during a time when the economy is already in trouble.

7. Stress Prevention

Imagine the stress you would have to deal with if you were in this situation. According to Healthline, depression and anxiety affect millions of Americans a year. If somebody lost all of the access to every electrical device in their home and had their finances suffer, then it could easily cause them to lose sleep at night. Over time, you may become less productive, which could affect your job prospects and your relationships with other people. With whole-home surge protection, you can prevent this from happening and keep your mental health in check.

8. Warranties and Insurance Coverage

Unfortunately, a power surge isn't typically covered by warranties or insurance. While you may have insurance and warranties for all of your appliances and products, a power surge may mean that you won't be able to get your money back. In other words, if your home is affected by a surge, then you'll end up having to eat that cost out of pocket.

9. Incapable Standard Devices

While you may feel at ease because you have standard surge protectors or power strips, unfortunately, these are incapable of protecting you from a major power surge. These devices help protect the individual pieces of equipment that are attached to them. They won't protect you from a full surge that affects your entire home.

10. Complete Coverage

When you get whole-home surge protection, your property is protected in the event of a major power surge. It's a system that's installed in the main electrical panel of your house. It's capable of intercepting and diverting power surges before they reach your electronics and appliances. When you get such a device, you'll have peace of mind that your home is protected from any further damage.

As you can see, you have many reasons to invest in this type of surge protection for your home. If you have any questions about the advantages of protecting your appliances, such as your HVAC unit and other devices, contact John H. Coleman Co for more information. We can provide you with the HVAC services that you need that can go hand in hand with whole-home surge protection.