Whole Home Surge Protectors in New Hampshire

FAQs

• What does a whole-home surge protection installation include?

  Installation includes evaluating your existing electrical panel and wiring, installing a surge protection device at the main panel or subpanel, verifying proper grounding, and testing the system to ensure it protects your home’s electrical system and connected devices from surges.

• What is Whole Home Surge Protection?

  Whole-home surge protection or commonly called an SPD or surge protection device is a device installed at your panel which will safely distribute excess voltage away from your home’s electrical systems. This should not be confused with current protection (you get this from your breaker box) or lightning protection, although whole-home surge protectors can handle voltage surges caused by lightning strikes that don’t directly hit your home.

  With a whole-home surge protector, anything plugged into your home is protected. Surge protectors in the form of large chunky outlets or the strips you commonly see plugged into the wall are referred to as point of use devices and only protect what’s directly plugged into them. When paired together, you can ensure complete protection of all of your devices from both outside and in-home-generated voltage surges.

• What Benefits from Whole Home Surge Protection?

  Many homeowners are unaware that all surge protectors degrade with use, meaning their ability to protect against surges decreases over time. This is especially true with point-of-use devices which are typically rated much lower than whole-home SPDs. Depending on its rating, surge protection can be degraded completely in as little as one use rendering it useless for protecting against future surges.

  The best approach is what is referred to as layering. By combining a whole-home surge protector which is rated much higher than point-of-use devices, you can ensure every device in your home is natively protected from your outlets. For more expensive devices, such as your computer or appliances, a point-of-use surge protector should also be used as a last line of defense.

  Another key benefit of whole-home surge protection is its ability to protect against internal surges. In fact, over 80% of surges that occur in the home are caused internally by another device connected to your home’s power.

• How Often Does Whole Home Surge Protection Need to be Updated?

  The answer usually depends on the size and frequency of surges experienced at your home. In general, whole-home surge protectors can last anywhere from three to five years and should be checked by the homeowner each year to ensure proper protection. If you’re ever unsure if your home is adequately protected, one of our licensed electricians will be happy to help.

• When should I consider installing whole-home surge protection?

  You should consider surge protection if you live in an area prone to storms or frequent power fluctuations, if you own many sensitive electronic devices, or if you want to protect your home appliances and wiring from potential power surges.

• Why do I need a whole-home surge protector in New Hampshire?

  New Hampshire experiences frequent thunderstorms in summer and ice storms in winter that can cause power surges capable of damaging your electronics, appliances, and HVAC systems. A whole-home surge protector installed at your electrical panel guards every circuit in your house against these damaging voltage spikes.

• What is the difference between a whole-home surge protector and a power strip?

  A whole-home surge protector is hardwired to your electrical panel and shields every outlet and appliance in your home, while a power strip only protects the few devices plugged into it. Whole-home protection also handles much larger surges that would overwhelm a standard power strip.

• How much does it cost to install a whole-home surge protector?

  Whole-home surge protector installation is one of the most affordable ways to protect your home’s electronics and appliances. Contact Heritage for a quote specific to your home and electrical panel setup.

• How long does a whole-home surge protector last?

  Most whole-home surge protectors last 3 to 5 years depending on how many surges they absorb, as each surge degrades the internal components slightly. Heritage recommends periodic inspection to ensure your protector is still functioning and can replace it when needed.

• Can Heritage install a surge protector on an older electrical panel?

  Yes, Heritage can install whole-home surge protection on most electrical panels, including older models commonly found in New Hampshire homes. If your panel needs an upgrade to safely accommodate a surge protector, our electricians will let you know during the assessment.