Electrical surges are commonly associated with lightning, but everyday surges are just as damaging to your home’s electrical system. These small, frequent surges often occur when appliances like refrigerators, air conditioners, or microwaves cycle intermittently. They can gradually wear down the internal components of your electronics, shortening their lifespan and causing malfunctions that may go unnoticed until it’s too late.
Installing surge protectors and upgrading your electrical panel can make a big difference in protecting your home from these everyday surges. These devices absorb excess voltage and prevent it from reaching sensitive electronics, reducing the risk of costly damage. By addressing everyday electrical surges, you protect your devices and enhance the overall efficiency and safety of your home’s electrical system.
What are common sources of electrical surges inside a home?
Electrical surges inside a home can originate from several common sources, potentially damaging appliances, electronics, and wiring. Here are the most frequent culprits:
- Large Appliances Starting Up: Refrigerators, air conditioners, washers, and dryers require electricity when they first turn on. This sudden demand can cause a temporary voltage spike that may damage sensitive electronics nearby.
- Lightning Strikes: While not as common, lightning strikes can cause powerful electrical surges, particularly if they directly hit power lines or the home. Even if a strike is miles away, it can still cause a voltage spike traveling through the wiring.
- Faulty Wiring or Outdated Electrical Panel: Homes with outdated or faulty wiring can experience irregular voltage distribution. If your electrical panel isn’t designed to handle the electrical load of modern appliances, it can lead to surges that affect the overall electrical system.
- Switching On or Off High-Powered Devices: Turning on or off devices like power tools, space heaters, or large electronics can cause brief surges in the system. These can be particularly damaging when the devices are frequently used or improperly turned off.
- Power Grid Instability: Variations in the electrical grid, often caused by demand spikes or grid maintenance, can send unstable power to homes, causing surges.
- Malfunctioning Appliances or Electronics: Faulty appliances, such as an air conditioner or microwave, can draw inconsistent amounts of electricity, creating voltage fluctuations that lead to surges.
Protecting your home from electrical surges requires preventive measures, such as installing surge protectors or upgrading the electrical panel to better handle these fluctuations.
How do small electrical surges impact household appliances over time?
Small electrical surges can cause significant damage to household appliances over time, often going unnoticed until the appliance stops working or malfunctions. Here’s how these frequent surges affect appliances:
- Decreased Lifespan of Electronics: Small surges gradually wear down the internal components of electronic devices, such as circuit boards, processors, and capacitors. Over time, this reduces the lifespan of appliances like televisions, computers, and refrigerators.
- Damage to Sensitive Components: Small voltage fluctuations can damage delicate appliance parts, such as microchips and electronic sensors. Appliances like air conditioners, refrigerators, and microwaves rely on precise electrical functions, and small surges can disrupt these processes, leading to long-term performance issues.
- Increased Risk of System Failure: Repeated exposure to electrical surges can cause parts to degrade, increasing the likelihood of a system failure. For example, an appliance might stop turning on, or certain functions may fail to work properly after consistent exposure to surges.
- Reduced Energy Efficiency: Small surges can cause appliances to work harder to compensate for the damage, reducing their energy efficiency. This can result in higher electricity bills as the appliance consumes more power to function properly.
- Potential for Complete Appliance Failure: Even small surges can cause irreparable damage after continuous exposure, leading to costly repairs or entirely different appliance replacements.
Protecting appliances with surge protectors and upgrading your electrical system can help prevent these long-term effects.
Why do power surges happen even when there is no storm?
Power surges can occur even in the absence of a storm for various reasons that disrupt the normal flow of electricity. Here’s why they happen:
- Cycling of High-Powered Appliances: Large appliances like air conditioners, refrigerators, and ovens draw significant power when they turn on or off. This sudden demand for electricity can cause a voltage spike, leading to a power surge that may affect nearby electronics.
- Faulty Wiring or Outdated Electrical Systems: Homes with outdated or faulty electrical wiring may experience power surges due to improper grounding, poor connections, or electrical overloads. These issues can create fluctuations in voltage even when no external factors are present.
- Grid Switching and Maintenance: Electrical grids undergo routine switching, maintenance, and repairs. These actions can cause fluctuations in the power supply, leading to surges in the home’s electrical system. During these events, the power grid may briefly supply higher voltage levels than usual, resulting in a surge.
- Appliance Malfunctions: When appliances or devices malfunction, they can draw inconsistent amounts of power, causing electrical surges. For example, a faulty refrigerator compressor or an old washing machine may cause voltage irregularities.
- Utility Provider Issues: Sometimes, power surges are caused by issues with the utility provider’s equipment, such as transformers or circuit breakers, which can cause voltage fluctuations that reach homes.
While often small, these surges can damage sensitive electronics and appliances over time. Installing surge protectors and upgrading electrical panels can safeguard against these power fluctuations.
What are the best ways to protect a home from everyday electrical surges?
Protecting your home from everyday electrical surges is essential to safeguard your appliances, electronics, and overall electrical system. Here are some of the best ways to prevent damage from surges:
- Install Surge Protectors: Use surge protectors for sensitive electronics like computers, televisions, and home entertainment systems. These devices absorb excess voltage and prevent it from reaching your appliances, preventing damage from small, everyday surges.
- Upgrade Your Electrical Panel: Upgrading your electrical panel can improve your home’s ability to handle power surges by providing better distribution and protection. Newer panels come equipped with circuit breakers designed to manage increased loads and surges effectively.
- Whole-House Surge Protection: Consider installing a whole-house surge protector on your electrical panel. This device protects the entire home by blocking or redirecting harmful voltage surges before they can enter your electrical system, offering more comprehensive protection than individual surge protectors.
- Unplug Devices During Power Outages or Storms: Unplug sensitive electronics during electrical storms or power outages. This prevents the risk of power surges when the electricity is restored, or lightning strikes the power lines.
- Maintain Your Appliances: Regularly maintain appliances, ensuring that older devices with malfunctioning power supplies don’t draw irregular power, which can lead to surges.
By following these measures, you can protect your home from the damaging effects of everyday electrical surges and prolong the lifespan of your appliances and electronics.
Protect Your Home from Everyday Electrical Surges Now!
Electrical surges don’t just happen during storms—they can occur daily due to appliances cycling on and off, faulty wiring, or power grid fluctuations. These surges can gradually damage your appliances, electronics, and electrical systems.
Our team at The Go-To Crew Electric offers solutions like surge protectors and panel upgrades to safeguard your home from these hidden threats. By addressing everyday surges, you can extend the lifespan of your devices and avoid costly repairs. Contact us today to secure your home’s electrical system from future damage!