A power surge is a sudden spike in the voltage supply to a home. This is one of the most common electrical disasters that every homeowner should watch out for to ensure the safety of their home. Power surges, if not dealt with responsibly, may even lead to fires under extreme circumstances.
Protecting your home against any threat requires you to learn about it first. You must understand where the problem originates so that you can tackle it at the root and prevent it before it has a chance to wreak havoc. The same rule applies to power surges; you must know all potential sources of the problem so you can deal with it effectively and avoid long-term damages.
In some cases, power surges can even become fatal. Investing in a system that will shield your home from the problem is a must. One of the best ways to deal with this problem is by getting a surge protection service to keep your home from experiencing the full effects of a power surge. This can help reduce repair costs since your major appliances are much less likely to be permanently damaged.
The following are some causes of surges to help you understand them better.
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Exceeding Load Limit
Due to the complex electrical systems within a home, surges that originate inside are more common than those that have outdoor sources. This refers to power surges that are caused by problems arising within your home due to either neglect or unfavorable conditions. Instead of outside interference with your home’s electrical system, these surges are brought on by problems that originate inside your house.
One of the main causes of internal surges is plugging in too many appliances to a single source. The thought of plugging everything in separately when a home has too many electronics may seem like a bother, but it is essential. To avoid having cables everywhere in the house, homeowners may want to plug all of their gadgets into a single outlet for convenience, but this may do more harm than good.
Every plug in your house has a maximum capacity. This limit can be surpassed if too many gadgets are plugged in simultaneously, and this is what causes one of the most common internal power surges.
Old or Damaged Wiring
Both internal and exterior factors may contribute to voltage spikes in homes. Oftentimes, the root of the problem can be found in the electrical system of your home. Faulty wiring refers to any wires that may be damaged or old. Wires that are not in good condition are unreliable and more vulnerable to disasters.
Faulty wiring can be quite dangerous for you and your house, in addition to being a major source of inconvenience. Since they are hidden from view, wiring issues in your home might be challenging to find. The problem may have advanced considerably before you’ve had a chance to discover it. A power surge may occur as a result of stripped insulation or low-quality wires that need replacing. This is a major cause of damage to your appliances.
Bad Weather
A lightning strike is one of the finest demonstrations of how the most dramatic power surges are often caused by sources beyond a homeowner’s control. The ideal conditions can even result in a lightning strike becoming lethal. Due to its immense magnitude, this kind of power surge has the potential to completely demolish your house, and maybe even start a fire.
Lightning has the potential to damage underground electrical systems as well as nearby power lines, trees, and other parts of your property. As a result, your home falls victim to the huge flow of current, which has devastating and potentially permanent effects. In such instances, it is preferable to make sure that the electrical supply to your home is cut off to minimize the risk.
A good solution to this problem would be equipping your home with a whole home surge protection system that will thoroughly secure every outlet in your home.
Conclusion
Modern homes are much more vulnerable to electrical disasters due to the complexity of their electrical systems. Electronics play a significant role in your daily life and any kind of neglect can put your home at risk of a myriad of damages that could originate from the electrical system alone.
Power surges aren’t frequent everywhere, but when they do occur, the damage can be devastating. This makes it a homeowner’s duty to recognize the telltale signs of an approaching surge and take the appropriate measures to minimize potential damages.
