Brian's House Building Blog

Getting Familiar with Residential Surge Protectors

by Peyton Sanders

Most homeowners are aware of the importance of surge protection. As such, you will find various outlets in the home equipped with a surge protector to prevent electrical damage to sensitive appliances such a fridges or television. However, although these mini surge protectors would suffice in years past, Australian homes now have numerous electronic gadgets due to how technology keeps growing in leaps and bounds. This is why it would be ideal to consider surge protection for your entire home, rather on selective outlets. Here are some of the things you need to know about residential surge protectors in order to become familiar with them.

What exactly is a residential surge protector?

A residential surge protector, as the name suggests, functions to ensure all the electrical outlets in your home are protected from electrical surges. The residential surge protector does this by either blocking the flow of electrical currents or shorting the current in the event that it senses a power surge in the system. Not only does it protect your house's lighting from electrical surges, but it also prevents large appliances from cycling on and off due to erratic electricity supply. This is a more inclusive form of protection for your home when compared to power surge devices that are installed on some outlets and not on others.

Where is a residential surge protector installed?

Unlike conventional surge protectors that are plugged into various outlets in your home, a residential surge protector is hard-wired directly into your home's electrical box. Accurate and proper installation of a residential surge protector is essential because, if it is not grounded, your house will still be at risk of power surges. Therefore, only a licensed and certified electrician should carry out the installation of a residential surge protector. The electrician will determine what type of residential surge protector will best suit your home's individual needs. They will also ensure that the wiring in your electrical panel is not tampered with during installation of the surge protector.

What will a residential surge protector protect your home from?

There are various types of power surges that the residential surge protector will protect your home from. These include:

  • Protecting your home's circuit boards from frying.
  • Protecting your home from mini bursts of electrical energy that will cause appliances such as the fridge and the air conditioning in your home to cycle on and off.
  • Protecting your home from over-voltage that could be caused by utility lines that are down in your area. 

For more information or to find out if your home needs a surge protector, contact a local electrician. 

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