A power surge occurs when the amount of current flowing through an electrical system is higher than normal. A lot of the electrical appliances in your home are going to be highly susceptible to a power surge. If there is an increased current or voltage flowing into them frequently, then they will eventually end up breaking. This can be costly to repair. Thankfully, there are several things you can do to save home appliances from a power surge.
Know when a power surge is going to occur
A power surge can often take place during an intense storm. If there is lightning in your local area, then you are at a greater risk of a power surge. During a storm, you may wish to unplug some of your more sensitive electronics.
Slightly before a power surge, you may notice that the lights in your home will start to flicker. This is a good indicator to turn off the electrical circuits in your home, at least for a short while. Yes. We know that this can spoil the food in your appliances, but you probably won’t have everything turned off for long. About twenty to thirty minutes, at the most. Having a power surge is probably going to be a lot more damaging in the long run.
Purchase a surge protector
There are two types of surge protector you can purchase. The simplest will be a surge protecting plug. You just plug your appliances directly into this. In the event of a power surge, the plug should blow and none of the excess voltage will reach your appliance, which will protect it. This is a cheap method, and it does tend to work well. However, you will only be protecting the appliances that are hooked up to it.
If you call in an electrician, they will be able to install a surge protector that covers the whole of your home. This will be installed by the breaker. It can be a costlier solution, but it is going to be a lot more effective.
Get your electrics regularly inspected
If you are noticing that the power surges a lot, or your electrics haven’t been inspected in a while, then it may be worth calling in an electrician to carry out electrical service. They will be able to look over your system to ensure that there is nothing wrong with it. If they discover a problem, they will be able to rectify it.
Did you know that if you have an older AC unit installed in your home, you are much more likely to suffer from a power surge? You may want to have an air conditioner service technician to look at the AC unit. This is because they restart a lot, which pours excess current into the system. While newer models will still restart, they require less power, which means a lower likelihood of a surge when it happens.
Remember; it is probably going to be far cheaper to have an electrical service carried out than constantly replacing the appliances in your home. Just make sure that the electrical inspection is carried out by somebody with experience. Got confused? We are here to help you. Call Quick Spark electrician to have a look at the problem. Our electrical experts are licensed and insured to handle all types of electrical issues. Just give us a call at 1300 265 751
