CHARLOTTE – A power surge can fry your outlets and circuit breakers causing damage to your devices. Any system powered by electricity is susceptible to power spikes. Every day small surges travel through our lines nibbling away at our appliances and LED lighting. This can cause premature failure to your expensive appliances without visual signs of damage.

What is a power surge? It is a brief overvoltage event that can damage electrical devices. There are several causes for a power surge. The main reasons are faulty wiring, lightning strikes, and electrical overload such as during the restoration of power after a power outage.

Although the power surge protection strips that you hopefully have purchased and use to protect your small appliances, such as computers and televisions are helpful, let’s think bigger. Modern electronics are more vulnerable to minor surges than older electronic devices because they contain computer chips. Almost all large modern appliances including your refrigerator, heating and air conditioning system, and your washer and dryer could now use some protection!

There are a couple of ways you can protect your home with layers of protection from power surges. There are surge protectors for your panel, these would protect your large appliances. Another is networking protection for phones and cables as well as many others that a licensed electrician can go over with you about the options that are available and needed for the particular needs of your home or office and its electrical devices.

If you have electrical questions or concerns call GB Electrical Services at (980) 500-2378 or visit our website for professional tips and information at www.GetTheBestElectric.com.