Why Your Home Needs Surge Protection Today – Part 1
As smart energy management grows in popularity, home automation systems are being increasingly installed. Utility costs are rising, and so homeowners are looking for user-friendly and effective applications for conserving and tracking energy. Unfortunately, they usually overlook surge protection, which is essential for protecting electronic devices.
Surge protection provides other important benefits, such as ensuring electronics work well, stay dependable, and last longer. This is especially relevant in modern homes because electronic components are growing more vulnerable. The following will discuss why your home needs surge protection today.
Damaging Power Surges Increasing
Most people are aware that lightning striking a home may damage or destroy electronic devices inside. What they may not know is lightning causes just five percent of all electrical disturbances. Occurring 10 times more frequently, power surges account for 56% of all disturbances.
Electrical Disturbances
Research found that 80% of electrical disturbances originate from the interior of buildings. Surges of this type typically last only tens of nanoseconds to a small number of milliseconds. Electronic equipment is hit by a voltage at such a low level, it is hardly noticed although it may occur up to several hundred instances daily.
Frequent Surges
Known as “transients”, these low voltage surges cause “electronic rust”, which gradually degrades electronic components. Even though the damage it causes is difficult to detect, electronic rust significantly shortens the service lives of electronic equipment. The performance of electronic devices deteriorates gradually as the damage to their circuit boards accumulates.
Usually generated by microwaves, refrigerators, or HVAC equipment built with inductive elements, transients enter electronics and appliances via electrical wiring. Coils, motors, or transformers are common examples of electronics that have an inductive element. Upon being turned off, a magnetic field collapses, causing a back electric motive force (EMF), and the voltage it generates can be several times more powerful than the voltage of the inductive element before it was turned off.
Part 2 will discuss three more reasons why your home needs surge protection today.
Electrical Services You Can Trust
Founded in 1991, Meyer Electrical Services provides home and commercial electrical services in Maryland, Virginia, and D.C., where we are licensed and insured. 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.