Power surges are responsible for millions of dollars of property damage every year. Call (623) 201-5066 today for expert Glendale surge protection services.

    What is an Electrical Power Surge?

    When the flow of electricity is interrupted and then started again this is a power surge. There are two main types of power surges – internal and external.

    Internal power surges are half of all surges that occur in your home. In fact, they can happen several times a day when big appliance motors start up. Refrigerators and air conditioners are the biggest culprits, but even hair dryers and power tools can also cause a power surge. Power surges can also happen when you have lost power and it returns.

    External power surges are most commonly caused by a lightning strike or a squirrel getting into a transformer. Tree limbs touching power lines can also create a power surge.

    How Power Surges Cause Damage

    In our country most houses have electrical power in the form of 120-volt, 60 Hz, single phase, alternating current yet this voltage is not always consistent. When the current alternates the voltage rises and falls in a predetermined rhythm. Voltage oscillates from 0 to 169 volts because most appliances are designed to be powered by this type of electricity.

    Voltage exceeds 169 volts during a power surge. This spike can cause damage to appliances and electrical devices in your home. An increase in voltage above an appliance’s normal operating voltage can cause an arc of electrical current within the appliance. The heat that is generated can take out the electronic circuit boards and other components.

    Christian Brothers employee showing a customer their breaker panel

    Smaller, repeated power surges have the ability to slowly damage electronic equipment and you are unaware. Computers or home theatre may continue to function after small surges until the integrity of the electronic components totally erodes and your electronics and appliances stop working. The smaller power surges can shorten the lifespan of electronics and appliances when they occur repeatedly.

    Surge Protection: Call Now for Install & Repair Surge Protection

    There are many surge protectors on the market. The common power bars are cheap, multi-outlet products that are nothing more than an extension of a wall outlet. These usually have a circuit breaker of some sort, but most don’t offer any real “protection” from electrical issues.

    Surge protectors offer some level of protection against power spikes. How much and how well is determined on each individual surge protection unit.

    It’s all about the joules. Protection is offered in joules. These are a reservoir of protection. For example, if the unit you have has 1,000 joules of protection, then it can take ten hits of 100 joules every time – or one hit of 1,000 joules.

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    Protect your home today and call Christian Brothers Air Conditioning Plumbing Electrical at (623) 201-5066 in Glendale, AZ and surrounding areas. Christian Brothers Air Conditioning Plumbing Electrical are eager to help you protect your home and your family.