Power surges can wreak havoc on your home&#;s electrical system and appliances. Investing in a whole house surge protector could be the solution to guard against these costly and inconvenient incidents.
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A whole house surge protector is a device installed into your electrical service panel. It works by monitoring electrical surges and reducing them to a safe level. This device safeguards all your home&#;s circuits, providing comprehensive protection. Unlike point-of-use surge protectors, it shields your entire electrical system.
Whole house surge protectors are crucial in preventing extensive damage to your electrical system and appliances. They defend against both internal and external surges, ensuring consistent power supply.
This translates into longer lifespan for your appliances and less risk of electrical fires. Moreover, with potential insurance claim savings, whole house surge protectors can offer financial benefits as well.
Investing in whole house surge protectors is an important financial decision. Let&#;s break down the cost aspects for better understanding.
The cost of whole house surge protectors largely depends on its brand and quality. On average, you could expect to spend between $100 to $300 for the device itself. This cost is significant but think of it as an investment to safeguard your home&#;s electrical system.
Besides the brand and quality, other factors may also influence the price of whole house surge protectors. These include the specific features of the device, its surge protection rating, and the warranty offered by the manufacturer.
While purchasing whole house surge protectors is one part of the cost, its installation is another. Expect a charge between $150 and $300 on average for a professional electrician to install. The price for the installation will vary depending on the type of electrical panel you have and other components of your electrical system.
Power surges can be devastating to your home&#;s electrical system. Understanding these dangers underscores the importance of having whole house surge protectors.
There are two types of power surges: internal and external. Internal surges occur when large appliances, like air conditioners or electric dryers, are turned on, causing power fluctuations. External surges are usually the result of lightning strikes or issues with your power company.
Power surges can negatively impact your electrical system, damaging all components and wiring throughout your home. They can cause your appliances to malfunction or even render them unusable, leading to costly repairs or replacements.
According to the Insurance Information Institute, power surges due to lightning strikes result in an estimated $1 billion in costs annually. The average insurance claim for a power surge is around $12,000. These figures highlight the potential financial impact of not having adequate surge protection.
A whole house surge protector offers comprehensive protection for your home. But to ensure complete safety, it&#;s recommended to also consider point of use protection.
A whole house surge protector offers protection against both internal and external surges. By reducing harmful surges to a safe level, it shields your entire electrical system and all connected appliances, ensuring they function optimally and last longer.
Even with a whole house surge protector, it&#;s recommended to install point-of-use power strip surge protectors for all high-end electronics. These include your home theater, computer systems, and other expensive equipment. This dual protection approach ensures your valuable electronics are safe from devastating power surges.
Deciding to install a whole house surge protector can feel daunting due to the initial cost, but it&#;s essential to weigh the benefits and long-term savings against the initial outlay.
Investing in a whole house surge protector has many benefits:
Weighing these benefits against the initial cost, the value of a whole house surge protector becomes clear.
Choosing the right whole house surge protector depends on several factors:
A whole-house surge protector prevents damage to the electrical wiring in a home as well as appliances, TVs, and other electronics caused by internal and external surges in electrical power. These surges may happen due to a lightning storm, electrical utility work, or faulty wiring, among other reasons. While not every homeowner will experience an electrical surge in their lifetime, those who do will wish they had whole-home surge protectors to keep their appliances and electronic devices from malfunctioning.
How much is a whole-house surge protector? According to HomeAdvisor and Angi, the typical cost range is between $70 and $700 with the national average cost of a whole-house surge protector at $300. There are many factors that affect the cost, including the type of surge protector installed, the brand, and any additional electrical work. Detailed breakdowns of these cost factors, the benefits of installing one of the best surge protectors, and tips to hire the right professional for whole-house surge protector installation are all explained in this cost guide.
Whole-house surge protector costs depend on the type, brand, and labor required to install them. Each of these factors is described below to help homeowners choose the best whole-house surge protector for their home.
There are three different types of surge protectors. Each one offers power surge protection but at varying levels of protection and for a varying number of devices. The different types of surge protectors include the following:
The cost of power surge protection devices varies depending on the brand or manufacturer. This is ultimately due to the fact that the quality will vary from brand to brand. Popular surge protector brands include Eaton, Siemens, Leviton, Square D, and Intermatic. Since a large portion of the cost for a whole-house surge protector is labor, homeowners will not want to skimp on the quality of the surge protector itself. Homeowners are advised to read reviews, request recommendations from electricians, and choose a long-lasting, trusted surge protector brand.
Labor will likely make up more than half of the cost of a whole-house surge protector. The installation requires a qualified electrician, who will typically charge $50 to $100 per hour in addition to material costs and travel fees. While the process is relatively simple for a trained professional, it does require working with the incoming power to a home, which can be more dangerous. Additionally, other electrical work could be required to update the electrical box or circuits in order to install the surge protectors, further increasing the labor costs.
In addition to the cost factors explained above, there are a few more that may apply in certain situations. Homeowners can keep reading to determine if an electrical panel upgrade, wiring replacement, or additional outlet installation may increase the cost of their whole-house surge protector installation.
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Installing a new surge protector in an outdated, faulty electrical panel doesn&#;t make a lot of sense. Before wiring up a whole-house surge protector, an electrician may recommend that the homeowner update the home&#;s antiquated electrical panel. Electrical panels typically last 25 to 40 years, so any panel older than this range will likely need to be replaced. The cost to replace an electrical panel is between $526 and $2,010. Additionally, residential electrical panels typically have 100 to 200 amp service. If 100 is not enough for all of the devices in the home, upgrading the amperage could be another reason for a homeowner to swap out their old panel. A 100-amp panel will cost anywhere from $500 to $1,500, while a 200-amp panel will cost from $750 to $2,000.
If the home&#;s electrical wiring is old and outdated, it will likely need to be upgraded before a homeowner has a new whole-home surge protector installed. New electrical wiring can cost anywhere from $600 to $2,300 depending on the extent of the project. Homeowners can have their electrician evaluate their home&#;s current wiring and determine whether an upgrade is necessary. If the home has knob-and-tube wiring, an upgrade is absolutely necessary for safety reasons alone.
Installing a new surge protector may require adding a new outlet. An additional outlet installation typically costs around $200. The actual cost will depend on where the nearest power source is located and whether the outlet is a standard one, a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), or a higher-voltage outlet. If the home requires any outlet or switch modifications unrelated to the new surge protector project, it is always a good idea for homeowners to group their electrical projects together to save money and have all the work completed at once.
There are three different types of whole-house surge protectors. Details about each type, from where they are installed to what they protect against, are explained below.
Type 1 surge protectors help prevent damage against surges from external sources, like lightning strikes, power outages or blackouts, and faulty wiring. This type of surge protector is installed at the base of the electrical service meter before the main circuit breaker box. All power that enters the home flows through the surge protector. Type 1 has the highest surge protection of any type and should be installed by a professional electrician.
Type 2 surge protectors are the most common type and are built to protect against internal surges. This type of surge protector can be installed on a single circuit in the breaker box or on the whole electrical panel itself. Depending on the model, it will protect against large surges and smaller ones. Since there are electrical panel modifications required to install a Type 2 surge protector, a professional electrician should complete the work.
Type 3 surge protectors are either wall outlets or power-strip surge protectors. Both kinds are very common, since they allow the user to plug multiple devices into one plug. A power-strip surge protector will protect against most excess power surges, but they are not impenetrable. Ideally, these types of surge protectors are used as a second line of defense with a Type 1 or Type 2 surge protector also installed in the home.
A whole-house surge protector prevents power surges from entering a home. It will protect appliances and devices and the home&#;s electrical system, and it will even potentially prevent an electrical fire. These benefits are further explained below.
A surge protector&#;s number one job is to protect the appliances and electrical devices in a home from electrical surges. Without one, devices subjected to an electrical surge can become damaged. They will either immediately stop working, or their lifespan will be shortened by the surge. Appliances and electrical devices are often expensive and vital to the function of a home; without functioning appliances, the home might have no air conditioning in the summer, no heat in the winter, or no refrigerator in which to store food. This small investment in a whole-house surge protector is well worth it, so a homeowner is less likely to have to replace any appliances or electrical devices due to a power surge.
A whole-house surge protector will also protect the electrical system itself. Preventing an electrical surge from traveling through a house safeguards electrical wiring, outlets, and circuit breakers. If a home experiences an electrical surge without a surge protector in place, the entire electrical system could need to be replaced, resulting in thousands of dollars in cost.
Electrical power surges can cause overheating, sparks, or even fires when they reach faulty wiring, outdated outlets, or damaged circuits. A surge protector will prevent the surge from reaching any of these potential problem areas and reduce the risk of an electrical fire in the home.
The only type of surge protectors homeowners can safely install themselves are Type 3. These are outlets or power strips that simply plug into an electrical outlet. Type 1 and Type 2 whole-house surge protectors require modifications to electrical wiring that should be done only by a qualified electrician. If the surge protector is not installed correctly, not only will it not work, it could also cause electrical safety concerns in the home from faulty wiring or overheating.
A trained electrical professional will know how to properly work with electrical power to install the whole-house surge protector. Since all incoming power to a house will likely travel through the new surge protector, it is important to install it per the manufacturer&#;s instructions. Additionally, most electricians will offer a warranty on their work, so if an issue does arise, the electrician will come back and make the necessary corrections without the homeowner needing to shell out additional repair costs. To start the process of finding a qualified professional to install a whole-house surge protector, homeowners can search &#;electrician near me&#; and also ask friends and family for recommendations.
While installing a whole-house surge protector is not the most expensive of projects, you still may be looking for a way to save some money. Follow these tips to keep more of your money in your pocket while still protecting your home.
While most electricians are qualified to install a whole-house surge protector, homeowners can weed out those unsuitable for the task by asking each company the following questions.
Installing a whole-house surge protector can be confusing to a homeowner who isn&#;t sure where to start. The answers to the following frequently asked questions can help homeowners feel more confident before they start their surge protector project.
A surge protector helps prevent damage to the electrical devices and appliances in a home as well as the overall electrical system during a power surge. Surges can &#;fry&#; unprotected devices, causing them to stop working immediately or sooner than expected. Installing a surge protector protects a home from power surges caused by lightning, faulty wiring, and even internal appliances.
Yes, a properly installed whole-house surge protector will work by protecting the electrical devices and systems in a home from power surges. A power surge caused by lightning storms, power grid malfunctions, faulty wiring, and so on can damage appliances, electrical devices, and electrical panels. The surge protector stops a power surge from traveling through the home and negatively affecting these devices.
A whole-house surge protector should be installed only by a qualified electrician. These surge protectors are installed on the electrical panel and therefore affect all of the incoming power to the house. If the surge protector is installed incorrectly, there could be a ripple effect of issues with the electricity throughout the home. Additionally, electricity is dangerous and can cause shocks or even electrical fires, so only trained professionals should work with it.
Whole-house surge protectors are effective at stopping power surges from negatively affecting a home. Power-strip surge protectors are not as effective, since they protect only those devices that are directly plugged into them, but all the power coming into a house will travel through a whole-house surge protector, preventing damage to all of the appliances and electronic devices throughout. Whole-house surge protectors prevent power surges from lightning, appliance draws, and faulty wiring, all of which can fry a home&#;s devices.
A whole-house surge protector will last 2 to 3 years. These surge protectors are always working, and even if the home does not experience any large power surges, they will stop small surges from entering. Small surges will wear out the surge protector over time, so it is important for homeowners to have them replaced every few years.
A whole-house surge protector is typically installed on an electrical panel breaker box. It can be installed inside or outside the box, depending on the exact model&#;s specifications. Since a whole-house surge protector protects the entire electrical system in a home, it must be located where all of that power is sourced at the panel.
The minimum recommended electricity amperage that a surge protector can handle is 40,000 amps. Since a typical lightning bolt is around 30,000 amps, it is important that the surge protector can handle that and then some. There are surge protectors available that can take on much more, but 40,000 amps is usually enough for a residential home.
A whole-house surge protector will protect an AC unit and other HVAC equipment in your home; it will protect the AC unit from incoming power surges and protect other appliances from a potential surge caused by the AC unit itself. Whole-house surge protectors are essential to keep the home&#;s appliances protected from unexpected power surges.
Sources: Angi (1 and 2), HomeAdvisor, HomeServe
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