Surge Protection Installation in Travis Heights, TX
When we think of power surges, lightning strikes often come to mind. While a bolt from the blue can certainly unleash a massive surge of electricity into your home or workplace, these dramatic events are not the only culprits.
In fact, most power surges are far more mundane and more frequent than you might realize. Whether due to grid fluctuations or appliances cycling on and off, power surges are a daily threat to homeowners, businesses, and industrial facilities alike.
Fortunately, you can protect your electrical system, connected devices and equipment, and yourself from the threat of power surges with a surge protection installation in Travis Heights, TX. Contact Mr. Electric or continue reading to learn more.
What is a Power Surge?
A power surge is a sudden and significant increase in electrical voltage within a circuit. Electrical systems in homes, businesses, and industrial facilities are designed to operate at a standard voltage level (typically 120 volts in the U.S). Surges, however, can push in voltage far beyond the safe limit.
Power surges often last just a fraction of a second. While brief, these surges can cause lasting damage to electrical systems and devices and even threaten electrical shocks and fires.
What Causes a Power Surge?
Although rare, a lightning strike is the first thing that comes to mind. These can introduce millions of volts into your electrical system and overwhelm even strong protections. But this is not the only culprit. Some of the usual suspects include:
- Grid Fluctuations: Events like switching operations, load changes, or faults in the grid can send surges through the system.
- Downed Power Lines: Storms, accidents, or infrastructure failures can lead to unstable voltage.
- Faulty Wiring: Older or improperly installed wiring may be unable to absorb and redirect excess voltage.
- Large Appliances: Appliances like air conditioners, refrigerators, and washing machines create small surges each time they cycle on and off.
While the severity of these varies, there is no power surge that is “too small” to ignore. A robust surge protection installation addresses all of these threats.
Consequences of Power Surges
A lightning strike can instantly fry valuable electronics and even scorch the wiring (sometimes triggering an electrical fire), but power surges are not limited to causing immediate damage. Their effects can also be subtle and stretched out over time. Frequent surges weaken your home’s internal wiring, and equipment can lose out on their life expectancy and efficiency over time.
If you’re a business owner, the damage can be two-fold as power surges often lead to power outages which result in lost productivity and revenue. If you’re running a hospital or critical business, the risks are that much greater.
The Solution is Simple: A Surge Protector
A whole house power surge protector installation is mounted at your main electrical panel and serves as your first line of defense. It intercepts and diverts excess voltage before it can spread through your system.
Make sure to hire a certified electrician for the installation, however, because the job must be done in compliance with standards, building codes, and regulations. Property owners looking for a qualified electrician can call Mr. Electric.
