Electrician, Meyer Electrical Services Inc.
Written by Walt Meyer

The Basics of Whole Home Surge Protection – Part

Part 2 will cover the Effectiveness of Whole Home Surge Protection and Types of Surge Protection.

Effectiveness of Whole Home Surge Protection

Immediately blocking the voltage surge from entering your home’s circuits, a whole-home surge suppressor offers comprehensive protection from lighting. In contrast, a plug-in suppressor will be unable to protect hard-wired electric devices to receive electricity instead of being plugged into an outlet.

Major appliances, including dishwashers, garage door openers, HVAC systems, stoves, and washing machines, are hard-wired into house electrical circuits. Exterior lighting, security systems, and sprinkler systems are hard-wired as well.

It requires a whole-home suppressor to protect every circuit from power surges outside the home to safeguard hard-wired devices. The following will cover the three main types of surge protection.

Service Entrance Protection

A licensed electrician installs a service entrance protection system at a house’s electrical panel or meter to protect a whole home from power surges. This system monitors utility power to protect electrical devices from the grid’s surges.

When a surge is detected,  the suppressor automatically diverts dangerously high voltage to the ground, preventing it from entering a home’s circuits. A service entrance protection system provides protection ranging up to 40,000 amps.

Nowadays, a service entrance protection system usually includes connections for cable TV, internet routers, and phone lines to protect against power surges using them as conduits.  

Point of Use Surge Protection

These commonly found plug-in suppressors protect electronic devices like computers, flat screen television, and network equipment. Point-of-use surge suppressors only protect devices that are plugged into them. They should have the features below.

  • Absorb power surges of  600 joules or more
  • Clamping value of 400 volts or less
  • Indicator light to confirm it is functioning
  • Protection of every incoming line
  • Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL) rating

Electrical Services You Can Trust

Founded in 1991 and serving Maryland, Virginia, and D.C., where we are licensed and insured, Meyer Electrical Services provides home and commercial electrical services you can trust, including:

  • Standby Generator Installation
  • Panel Upgrades (Heavy-Ups)
  • Electrical Vehicle Charging Stations
  • Structured Cabling
  • Circuit Breaker Replacement

Based in Bethesda, our team proudly serves all of Montgomery County. Receive a free consultation for custom electrical work today by calling (301) 941-1400.