Power surges can damage your appliances and your home if you aren’t properly protected.
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Most of us take the electricity in our homes for granted.
What Is a Power Surge?
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A power surge is essentially what it sounds likea quick spike in electricity.
“A power surge can fry the circuit breaker and spread to various outlets in the home.”
“A power surge is when something causes the electrical voltage to spike up significantly beyond that range.”
Surges are typically brieflasting just millisecondsbut they can cause lasting damages to your electronics, appliances, and home.
A power outage is a complete loss of electricity, while a power surge is a spike in voltage.
Why Do Power Surges Happen?
“Lights flickering on and off is a sign of a power surge.
Also, look for electronics that have been reset, such as a microwave clock flashing ‘12:00.’
If you live in an area with frequent blackouts, you may be especially vulnerable.”
Are Power Surges Dangerous?
“Power surges can damage and disable your appliances,” Mock says.
However, these surges can wear down electrical items and appliances over time.
In some more severe instances, the overflow of electricity from power surges can even start a fire.
Whole-house surge protectors go in the electrical panel where the circuit breakers are located, Mock explains.
“Have a qualified electrician verify your ground system is connected correctly,” he adds.
“Surge protection only works correctly with a proper ground system.”
This high demand can upset the steady voltage flow through your electrical system."
So, take a stab at limit your use of multiple high-powered appliances at the same time.
“You should also unplug your important appliances during a power outage,” Mock says.
“There is often a surge when the electricity comes back on.”
