When the power goes off and then flicks back on a surge of electricity is sent through the lines, much like the waves of the sea. This can send too much power into an appliance and damage it. The more sensitive the piece of equipment, the more likely it is to be damaged.
That means computers, mobile phones, and even smart televisions are at risk.
To avoid damaging them and the inconvenience of having to claim on insurance, it’s a good idea to take surge protection seriously today.
Don’t forget, electricity is dangerous, if you’re not sure what you’re doing it’s essential that you use a level 2 electrician, they’ll do the job properly and warranty the work as well.
Don’t assume that you can claim on insurance for surge damage, especially if you’ve done the wiring yourself.
Here are some great tips to help prevent power surges:
Check Your Wiring
Take a look at any wiring that is accessible and get your electrician to run tests on the remaining cables. Faulty electrics can cause fires but they can also cause shorts which can cut the power supply or cause power surges.
If you have old wiring it’s time to consider getting it re-wired.
Unplug
The common wisdom is to unplug your electrics in a storm. This should be done but, you can also unplug electrics when you’re not using them or when you’re either asleep or out of the house. You never know when a surge will happen but if you’re unplugged it isn’t going to damage your sensitive equipment.
Surge Protectors
Of course, there are times when you’ll be using your equipment. If a power surge happens when you’re equipment is likely to get fried. That’s why you should use power surge protectors. These are power strips that plug into your sockets and the appliance plugs into the protector. They regulate the current, helping to protect your appliance from a power surge.
It’s worth noting that you can add a whole-house surge protector, although this is definitely a job for the professionals. It works in the same way but regulates the power supply for the whole house.
This is a more expensive option but a great idea if you have a lot of sensitive equipment.
Change Your Appliances
The appliances you use won’t create a power surge. However, older appliances generally have a bigger power drain, which does increase the likelihood of a power surge, especially if something goes wrong with the appliance. Changing the appliance will prevent this and may even save you money on your energy bill as the appliance will be more energy efficient.
Get A Meter
Again, this isn’t going to prevent power surges but it will help you to identify how often they happen and whether they are on a specific circuit or not. This can help you to identify an issue and then resolve it.
Power surges may not generally affect your house. But, if you do get one you’ll wish you’d taken these simple steps to protect your home and belongings.
