Your home is composed of several different components which contribute to its visual appearance and functionality. A modern home cannot operate without some basic utilities, and one of the most important ones is electricity. The electrical system of your home is responsible for creating a comfortable living environment, without which your life may become quite difficult.

When a system like this is powering the majority of your home through different appliances, things are bound to go wrong occasionally. The electronics in your home are sensitive to things such as power overloads, and if something like this impacts your whole home at once, you may end up losing a lot of your belongings. This is why it is important to understand power surges.

A power surge refers to a sudden spike in the current supply to your home. Caused by a few different sources, power surges can result in some serious damage if this excessive current reaches any of your major appliances. There are, however, ways to prevent this; for example, you can protect your home better by using the Lineprotect surge protection service plan.

Causes of a Power Surge

As mentioned previously, a power surge can be caused by a few different occurrences. Flickering lights or a storm outside are two major indications of surges, and some of their main sources are as follows.

Lightning

A lightning strike occurring near a power source is one of the most damaging causes of a power surge. While this is the less likely way for surges to occur, a power surge caused by a lightning strike can be very intense and extremely harmful to your home.

Electrical

Electrical overloads are caused when you try to draw too much power from a single source. Plugging several appliances or gadgets into one extension, or even directly into a power outlet can result in a power surge. Repairs from this surge may cost you a lot.

Power Outage

A power grid switch or outage is another cause of a power surge. This is something that happens when your power company resumes the electricity supply after an outage. When current begins to run through the system so suddenly, the amount of it being supplied can increase significantly for a few moments, causing a power surge.

How to Protect Your Home

Fortunately, you don’t necessarily have to face a surge head-on. There are precautions that homeowners can take to protect their homes and appliances against surges, and these are as follows.

Surge Protectors

Using surge protectors or strips, you can target individual gadgets to keep the excess current away from them. Surge protectors can act as a relatively low-budget alternative to whole-home surge protection. This way, you get to keep your major appliances safe even in case of an unforeseen power surge. Computers, refrigerators, and air conditioners are examples of such gadgets. Sensitive electronics like this are most vulnerable in case of surges as well, so targeting safety specifically to protect them can be helpful.

Disconnect Major Appliances

One of the first things you should do in case of a power surge is disconnected your major appliances. This will absolutely ensure that no matter what happens outside, your electronics will be safe against the current. While this may take some time, it is a good way to guarantee your home’s safety during a surge. If you keep an eye on updates, you’ll most likely be able to tell when a power surge is approaching, so that you have enough time to take such precautions.

Inspect Your Home’s Wiring

Power surges can often be caused due to faulty wiring. If there is something wrong with the insulation or the wires are exposed, they can easily become harmful in multiple ways. Not only do they risk electrocution, but these wires also offer little resistance and the current can easily go haywire. It is very important to check on your home’s wiring every now and then to make sure things are in order. This may help you avoid a huge disaster.

Whole-House Surge Protection

For those who value every outlet in your home rather than certain important ones only, this is a good option to consider. Whole house surge protection is a service that caters to every single source of current in your home, allowing you to rest easy when a power surge is approaching. You won’t have to worry about taking excessive precautions such as cutting off the main power supply or unplugging all your appliances; this helps you save time and energy, and will keep your home relatively safer against such threats.

Power surges can be stressful. Often, it may result in a blackout that lasts for hours. Situations like this often cut you off from any outside sources which can help make this time of isolation easier for you. If you know that a surge is about to occur, the best thing to do would be to prepare in advance. You can do this by getting a portable internet device, stocking up on snacks, or charging your portable electronics to keep yourself busy until the power is back on.

Protecting your home against a surge is important because electrical disasters can often cost a lot in terms of repair. A lot of your expensive appliances are at risk of being damaged, and in extreme cases, this may even result in a fire. Surge protection allows your home to become safer and more comfortable, regardless of occasional inconveniences.