Does Surge Protection Help Prevent Fires?
Electrical fires often begin when the system in a house gets overloaded and begins to generate excessive heat. Living in an area with frequent lightning storms or an aging infrastructure increases the risk of a fire occurring. Your house might also be in danger of overloading the system when you have multiple smart appliances, or it may have faulty wiring.
Once a fire breaks out, it can cause significant damage in a short amount of time. Fortunately, whole-home surge protection helps to lower the risk of electrical fires, but it is important to make sure a professional electrician handles the job.
Quick Takeaways
- A surge protector helps to reduce the chances of having an electrical fire by limiting damage from voltage spikes.
- A power surge can cause wiring and other electrical components to overheat, which raises fire hazards.
- Whole-home surge protectors give broader protection compared to plug-in strips.
- You should still follow general safe electrical practices, even with a surge protector in place.
- Surge protectors should be inspected after significant events such as a lightning strike near your home.
What Is a Power Surge and Why Does One Happen?
A power surge occurs when there is a sudden, quick spike in the electrical voltage running through your home’s system that exceeds the standard capacity by potentially thousands of volts.
The most common causes of power surges in Orlando include the following issues:
- Lightning strikes during storms
- Large appliances starting up and cycling off
- Faulty wiring in the home
- Power outages and sudden restorations
- Utility grid changes
How Can Power Surges Cause Electrical Fires?
The excess voltage that occurs during a power surge causes electrical components to overheat. During a major surge, arcing and ignition risks rise. Melting insulation can also lead to exposed wiring, which can spark a fire. Even repeated small surges can cause cumulative damage that eventually causes a fire to break out.
How Do Surge Protectors Lower the Chances of Having a House Fire?
When a surge protector detects a voltage spike, it diverts the excess energy to the ground, where it stays safely away from the main electrical components and appliances. By sending the voltage to the ground, the surge protectors prevent overheating that can cause fires.
What Are the Main Types of Surge Protection That People Use?
In most homes, you’ll find three main types of surge protectors that all provide varying levels of protection.
Power Strips
Power strips are cheap and readily available at most local stores. Keep in mind that there is a difference between general power strips and the ones that offer surge protection. These can help prevent damage to appliances, but they have limited protection for preventing serious house fires.
Whole Home Surge Protectors
A professional electrician installs this type on your home’s electrical panel. Since it is installed at the main point of electricity running into your home, it provides total protection. Whole-house surge protectors are your best defense against external causes of surges, such as lightning strikes and utility grid switching.
Point-of-Use Surge Protection
With a whole-home surge protector in place, you might not need this option. But, our electricians sometimes recommend adding this type of protection to create a layered strategy that helps protect valuable appliances.
What Are the Most Common Signs You Need a Whole Home Surge Protector?
Most homes today can benefit from having a whole-home surge protector, especially when you have pricey electronics that draw large amounts of power. But, watching for these signs can also let you know when you might need to prioritize this service to avoid catastrophic fires.
- Dealing with frequently tripped breakers
- Noticing flickering lights, especially when appliances cycle on or off
- Having electronics break down without clear causes
- Knowing your home has an older electrical panel
- Discovering scorch marks around the outlets
- Living in an area with frequent storms
What Are Additional Layers of Protection to Prevent Electrical Fires?
Our electricians carefully select whole-home surge protectors to provide the highest level of protection for your home. But, you’ll want to learn how to check the status indicator to make sure it is working.
You’ll also want to avoid overloading circuits and use properly rated extension cords when they are necessary. Scheduling regular electrical inspections, especially after suspected storm damage, can further reduce your risk of experiencing a serious house fire.
FAQs
Reading through this quick list of common questions can help you prepare for discussing your surge protection options with an electrician.
Will a surge protector completely prevent electrical fires?
No, they cannot always prevent fires from other sources, such as a damaged appliance, but surge protectors dramatically reduce risks from voltage spikes.
Are power strips and surge protectors the same thing?
No, a power strip serves the purpose of adding more outlets that you can use to plug in appliances. A surge protector is designed to divert excess voltage, and you’ll need to carefully check product labels to make sure you use the right type.
Will a new whole home surge protector provide protection to every appliance?
These surge protectors can help limit voltage spikes from reaching the majority of the appliances in your home. But, our electrician might still recommend placing a point-of-use protector on sensitive appliances.
How long do whole-home surge protectors last?
A whole-house surge protector should last for 10 years or more.
Increase Fire Safety at Your House With Whole Home Surge Protection
Installing a whole-home surge protector lowers the risk of fires and keeps your appliances in good condition. If you’re worried about living in an area with frequent lightning storms or other hazards, then don’t put up with any malarky and call Mister Sparky! Our friendly electricians serve Orlando and the surrounding areas, and we’re available to help you rest easier with whole-home surge protection installation today.
