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Is it worth installing a whole house surge protector?
Do Whole House Surge Protectors Really Work? Yes! A whole-house suppressor instantly blocks the surge from entering home circuits to provide comprehensive lightning protection. Individual plug-in suppressors can’t protect electronics that aren’t plugged in, but are hard-wired instead.
How long do whole home surge protectors last?
You can expect a whole house surge protector to last between 2 and 5 years. Because a surge protector’s functional lifespan is measured by the cumulative total of the number and size of the surges it absorbs, not years, any lifespan estimate is going to be a wide range.
Why you need a whole house surge protector?
A whole-house surge protector can prevent external power surges from damaging your electronics. Extreme weather conditions like hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, and thunderstorms pose obvious power-outage threats, but other factors contribute to voltage surges more often than you might realize.
Do modern homes need surge protectors?
Anything containing a microprocessor is at risk of being damaged by a strong fluctuation in voltage. A small power surge won’t fry your devices or even leave any visible damage, but it can cause electronic rust. You need surge protectors to prevent the degradation of internal microprocessors on your electronic devices.
Are whole house surge protectors required by code?
Since the 2020 code has yet to be adopted by any government entity, the recommendation for whole-house surge protection is currently not required under law.
Is surge shield worth the money?
Surge protection protects your appliances and devices from voltage spikes. Given the amount of power that appliances and devices now have, surge protection is more important than ever. If you have too much voltage running through an outlet, it can cause electrical issues or even a fire.
How often should a whole-house surge protector be replaced?
That said, our professional advice is to replace your surge protectors every 2 years. However, you’ll want to replace your surge protector now if any of the following has occurred since the surge protector was installed: Your area has had several power outages.
Should my refrigerator be on a surge protector?
We do not recommend connecting a refrigerator or freezer to a surge protector. The compressor is sensitive to temperature and current overloads, and will shut itself down with a surge. A surge protector will override this system, and if there is a power surge, your refrigerator may not restart.
How much does a full house surge protector cost?
Whole-Home Surge Protectors Features to look for include thermal fuses, and lights or alarms that indicate when a device has taken a hit. Protection for an average house with 200-amp service will run about $500—including a couple of hours of an electrician’s labor.
Do new consumer units need surge protection?
When should surge protection be fitted? Electrical installations in single dwelling units are not required to have SPDs installed, but their use is not precluded and it may be that in discussion with a client such devices are installed, reducing significantly risks associated with transient over-voltages.