Why whole-home surge protection is worth it in Dallas

Where surges come from

Lightning nearby, utility switching on hot days, storms on the grid, and large motors like AC compressors starting and stopping all create surges.

What gets damaged

HVAC control boards, refrigerator electronics, garage door openers, pool equipment, TVs and computers. Damage can be sudden or gradual.

Two layers of protection

A surge protective device at the panel handles large surges entering from outside. Plug-in protectors at sensitive electronics handle what is left and surges from inside.

When to add it

Any time you upgrade or replace a panel, and after any storm that damaged equipment. Current code requires surge protection when the service is replaced.

After a surge

If equipment died after a storm, check GFCIs and breakers first, then unplug and reset the device. Note what failed, since a pattern points to where the surge came in. Many surge protective devices carry connected-equipment warranties, so keep the receipt and registration. If several things failed at once, have the grounding and the panel connections checked too.

Quick answers

Services mentioned in this post