Power surges are a normal occurrence when it comes to the usage of electricity in the home. The large appliances in homes such as air conditioners and dryers consume a lot of energy, which often results in surges. Power surges are one of the major causes of damage to electronics in the home. This is why it is important to put measures in place to prevent these surges. This article highlights the best measures to prevent power surges in the home.
What Is a Power Surge?
A power surge refers to a sudden and temporary increase in the current within an electrical circuit. Oftentimes, surges occur when a large appliance goes off suddenly, leading to an increase in voltage. This increased voltage might be passed to another appliance causing damage in most cases.
Preventing Power Surges in The Home
It is not enough to be simply reactive when dealing with power surges, you must put in place proper measures to protect your electronics from damage.
- Inspect Your Wiring: One of the major causes of power surges in a house is faulty wiring. Bad wiring causes the incorrect flow of voltage within an electrical circuit, and this could leave your electronics damaged. Pay attention to the frequencies of trips of the circuit breakers. Frequent circuit breaker trips is a sign of faulty wiring. Burning smells and buzzing sounds from outlets are other signs of bad wiring. It is important to get a professional to fix any defect in the wiring.
- Upgrade The Air Conditioning Unit: One of the biggest culprits when it comes to power surges in the home, is the air conditioning unit. Most AC units typically restart a lot of times during the day, and this regularly leads to an increase in voltage. Replace your old AC units with newer models that are energy-efficient.
- A Surge Protector: A surge protector for the whole house is one of the most effective ways of dealing with power surges. This protector shuts off the power in the house, whenever there is excess current in a circuit. A professional electrician in Sydney can help you install a surge protector.
- Specified Protection: Asides from the surge protector, you can also put in place specified protective measures for certain devices. For your computer, getting a UPS will ensure that you do not lose any documents while working. Power strips can be used to protect large appliances like refrigerators, washers, and furnaces. For your cable lines, a surge station is a reliable option.
- Unplug All Devices During A Storm: The major external cause of power surge in the home is lightning strikes. This is why it is important to unplug all electronics during a storm. Failing to do that might result in major damage. Unplug your devices and turn off the outlets, until the storm has passed.
Conclusion
Without preventing surges in the home, it can be very dreadful. Hence, it is very important to maximize these tips.
