Tips for Choosing a Surge Protector for Your Home

by Jason Radford, operations manager at Lightning Bug Electric and a member of Atlanta's Consult a Home Pro (CAHP) Let’s talk about surge protection and why everyone needs surge suppression, commonly known as surge protection. Every home that is supplied with electricity from a utility company gets up to ten thousand surges a day. Most of the surges are small and the common appliance can handle it, but it lessens the life of the appliance. Surge sources inside your home may come from units such as your refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, treadmills, irrigation pumps or virtually any electric motor turning off and on. Home office equipment such as paper shredders may also contribute to the surge problem. There are many more surge sources in businesses, depending on your business. There are two parts of surge protection. The first is making sure your home is bonded and grounded. Call a licensed electrician to ensure that your home is properly grounded. The next step is choosing a good surge protector. There are many different surge devices you can choose from. The best way to choose a good surge protector is to look at the joule rating. Remember that the idea is you want to protect your valuable equipment. If you buy a surge protector with a high joule rating, you are less likely to replace it in the event of a major surge. You will spend more money on a higher rated surge protector, but it will save you money in the long run. I would suggest a whole-home protector rated at 2,500 joules or more. The Cutler Hammer Ultra is by far the best we install at 2,880 joules and comes with a very good warranty (lifetime) and dollar replacement policy. There are hundreds of brands on the market. Ultimately, the choice is yours. Choose wisely. Get more expert advice from Atlanta home improvement professionals.