Protecting Electronics From Electrical Surges – What You Should Do

Most homes have a selection of electrical appliances in them. Each appliance can cost a significant amount of money. This is why it makes sense to make sure that they are well-maintained and that they are protected against any problems with the electricity supply in the property.

It’s a good idea to get the electrics in your home checked by an electrical services provider. This is especially important if you have just moved into the property, or the electricity supply system has been in place for a number of years. However, even if the electricity supply in your home is in good working order there is still a chance that electronics could be at risk of damage caused by electrical surges, if they are not sufficiently protected.

How does an electrical surge happen?

An electrical surge happens when the voltage or current of the electricity supply increases for a very short amount of time. Surges vary in severity and they can cause a significant amount of damage if surge protection is not used.

There are several different reasons why electrical surges can happen, such as:

• Lightning strikes.
• The return of power after there has been a power cut.
• Work being carried out on the electricity supply nearby.
• Damage to the main power line.

You can even cause a surge if you switch on a major appliance, such as a freezer.

What is the potential damage from an electrical surge?

When an electrical surge happens it can damage, or destroy, the microcomputers which are contained within electronics such as desktops and laptops and many major household appliances. Damage like this can mean that you are unable to use the item that has been affected.

It’s also important to note that all the electrical parts that are used in the production of electronics and appliances are only intended to withstand smaller surges that provide no more than double the normal amount of electricity supply. Surges that are larger than this can potentially mean that you have to replace an entire appliance.

How to protect the electronics in your home

In order to protect the electronics and appliances in your home, you should use surge protectors. These protectors divert energy away from circuits, and usually direct the energy to ‘earth’.

You can use primary surge protectors, secondary surge protectors or both. Primary surge protectors are intended to protect all of the devices in your home, as they are fitted where the power supply enters the property. However, often a residual amount of the electrical surge gets through. This is why it makes to also use secondary surge protectors, such as power strips, which can be plugged into power outlets and also have the advantage of being portable.

Using a combination of primary and secondary surge protectors is often the best way of protecting the electronics in your home against the damage that can be caused when an electricity surge occurs.