Northern Virginia’s climate, with its frequent thunderstorms and intermittent power grid fluctuations, makes power surges a significant risk for homeowners. A power surge is a spike in voltage that can travel through your electrical wiring, potentially frying expensive electronics and damaging appliances. Understanding your options for surge protection is crucial for safeguarding your investment and your peace of mind. McLean Electric Co. helps you compare the two primary types of surge protection.
What is a Power Surge?
A power surge is a brief but intense increase in voltage that can occur from various sources:
- External Causes: Lightning strikes (even miles away), downed power lines, or power company grid switching.
- Internal Causes: The on/off cycling of high-draw appliances like air conditioners, refrigerators, or dryers.
The Two Types of Surge Protection
- Point-of-Use Surge Protectors (Surge Strips):
- How they work: These are the familiar power strips you plug into an outlet. They protect the specific devices plugged into them from minor power spikes.
- Pros: They are inexpensive, easy to use, and portable. They are a good solution for protecting individual electronics like computers, TVs, and entertainment systems.
- Cons: They offer limited protection. They do not protect hardwired appliances (like your HVAC unit, dishwasher, or well pump) or outlets not plugged into a strip. Their protective capacity can degrade over time, often without warning.
- Whole-Home Surge Protectors:
- How they work: This device is installed directly at your main electrical panel. It intercepts surges before they can enter your home’s internal wiring, protecting all electronics and appliances simultaneously.
- Pros: They provide comprehensive protection for every electrical device in your home, including hardwired appliances. They are always on and provide superior defense against large, external surges like those from lightning strikes. They require no user interaction.
- Cons: They have a higher upfront cost and require professional installation by a licensed electrician.
McLean Electric Co.’s Recommendation
While surge strips have their place for protecting sensitive electronics, a whole-home surge protector is the best investment for comprehensive protection. It acts as the first line of defense, intercepting major surges at the point of entry and significantly reducing the risk of widespread electrical damage. For your Northern Virginia home, especially during storm season, a combination of both is ideal: a whole-home surge protector for overall defense, with high-quality surge strips for extra protection on your most sensitive electronics.
Contact McLean Electric Co. today to learn more about whole-home surge protection and to schedule a professional installation.
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