Tips For Properly Protecting Your Home Against Electrical Surges

When it comes to your home's electrical supply, it's important that you protect the house from the risk of surges and the damage they can cause. Power surges can not only affect the wiring, but they can damage your electronics, your appliances and the core electrical grid of the house. Some power surges are subtle enough that you wouldn't otherwise notice them, but there's enough power pushing through the lines to cause damage. Here's a look at some tips to help you protect your home's wiring from surges and other concerns.

Protecting Your Home

It's up to you to protect your home from the risk of power surges, but it isn't always an easy task. Here are a few things you can do to protect your home.

• Check The Wiring Ground – The wiring in your house requires a complete ground to reduce the risk of a power surge. Check the wiring ground at the power meter to be sure that there are copper-capped rods in the ground beneath the meter box. You should see wires attached to the copper cap. That assembly serves as the electrical ground, providing an outlet for excess electrical currents to be discharged. If the rods aren't there or the wires aren't connected, you need to call your electric company right away.

• Install a Surge Protector – Just like power strips and outlet receptacles that include surge protection, you can even add a whole-house surge protector to help reduce the risk of any electrical surges running through your home. You'll need to work with an electrician or your electric company to be sure that the surge protection system is installed properly. That way, you don't risk spending more than necessary on electricity rates due to wasted power or other issues.

• Do a Full Evaluation – Your electric company can come out and help you with a complete evaluation of your home's electrical grid. This will help you spot other vulnerabilities that might leave your home susceptible to surges. It may mean needing to upgrade your wiring or adding other features, but with a complete home assessment, you'll be able to spot every potential hazard.

Electrical surges are a serious concern for every homeowner. With the increased number of electrical appliances used in homes today, it's become a bigger threat than ever. With the tips here, you'll be able to help protect your home and your appliances against the threat of power surges.