Why Every Home Needs Surge Protection for each Electrical Panel

As summer afternoon thunderstorms bring needed rain for thirsty lawns, we feel it’s prudent to remind folks like yourself to consider surge protection beginning at the main electrical breaker panel(s) in the home. Today’s sensitive electronics can be expensive to replace, whether it’s a flat screen TV, computer system, dishwasher, refrigerator, freezer, specialty lighting systems, air conditioning compressor, standby generator, or pool equipment.

Placing Surge Protective Devices (SPDs) on breaker panels is often called “Whole House Surge Protection”. Transient voltages are external and internal. External transients often originate from nearby lightning strikes or grid-generated surges. Internal transients are generated when equipment in the home (HVAC units, vacuum cleaners, garbage disposals, etc.) are cycled “on” or “off”.

Even these relatively small internal transients can cause problems for electronics in your home and, over time, eventually cause failures. At first blush, one might reason to themselves, “I’ll never buy another refrigerator from Brand X again,” when, in fact, the refrigerator worked perfectly and as designed by the manufacturer. Appliance failures can often be attributed to transient voltages having a negative impact on electronics which lead to a shorter life span than what might be reasonably expected.

OUR RECOMMENDATIONS

Buckeye Power Systems recommends installation of surge protection at each breaker panel to take major hits from lightning strikes. The devices we install on breaker panels can withstand hits up to 100,000 Amps and come with a 10-Year warranty. We also recommend installation of downline SPD devices on HVAC units, refrigerators, laundry equipment, telephone lines, cable/satellite, as well as the usual downline devices to protect televisions and computers which you may already have.

HOW YOU BENEFIT

The SPD at each breaker panel will provide excellent protection from nearby lightning strikes and down-line SPD devices will protect HVAC equipment, gate openers, pool equipment, refrigerators, freezers, TVs, etc., from internally generated transient voltage surges. Elimination of these surge currents will protect equipment while also extending the usable life of appliances.