When it comes to surge protection, your home needs at least two layers of protection for ultimate security: one layer for the power coming into your home; and one layer for the power circulating throughout your home. A service entrance surge protector, otherwise known as a whole house surge protector, will reduce the risk of power surges caused by outside forces from coming in through your power lines. A point-of-use surge protector is the internal layer that protects items that use your outlets.
Despite the power of the whole house surge protector to stop external power surges, no solitary device will fully protect you. As powerful as these devices are, all it takes is one direct hit from a lightning strike to your power lines and that device is destroyed. That is why it is necessary to consider deeper protection, within your home. Having a two-tiered system increases your security from a surge in electricity, no matter the cause.
You will need to install a quality whole house surge protector to guard the power coming into your home. This will stop surges at the point of entrance and all lines associated with it, such as power lines, phones, cable connections and satellite dishes. This first line of defense can be designed to protect all lines at once or to protect each line individually. The first type is mounted to your electrical panel on the utility side; the others are installed between the panel and your incoming lines.
Using a whole house surge protector provides security for your home’s entire electrical system. This includes anything that utilizes motors, exterior light, outlets and switches and anything else that is hard wired into the electrical panel. In other words, anything that does not plug in and cannot plug in is protected.
Any electronics that plug into your should be connected through a wall surge protector. This is sometimes referred to as a point-of-use surge protector in the trade. This can be misleading for the average person not familiar with surge protection as these can easily be confused with power strips. Both look the same, but a power cord with several outlets does nothing to protect you from power surges. It will say on the package when you buy it if the device does indeed offer protection.
All of your electrical appliances and electronic devices fall into this category of plug-in equipment requiring surge protection, especially items like plasma TVs and digital equipment, things with electronic buttons or switches that turn them on and off. In the case of a personal computer, you will need a surge protector that covers coaxial cable connections and phone modems as well as your standard computer cords. This goes for land lines as well.
All in all having a two-tier system of protection is your best chance to protect your valuable equipment from surges in electricity, whether they come for electrical storms or are generated within the house from turning on high-powered appliances. Both types of protection will, in the long run, save you hundreds of dollars in replacements and repairs.
More importantly, with the advancement of technology, components used to make new electronics are becoming tinier and more and more compact which makes them more susceptible to power fluctuations. As gadgets becoming more easily inter-compatible with one another your equipment becomes more and more prone to severe damage from power surges traveling from one device to another. The need for surge protection is ever on the increase and you should start thinking now how you are going to protect yourself.
Understanding the benefits of a two-tiered surge protection system is the first step. A pc surge protector is only one line of defense. Yet there are many kinds of wall surge protectors that can help you protect your home and your equipment. Shop around and find the one the fits your needs.
No Comments