A whole-house surge protector is an investment for protecting your home appliances and any electronics you have plugged in. It’s also important to realize the pros and cons of a whole house surge protector to ensure you make the best decision for your home.
There are many types of whole home surge protectors ranging from cheap devices to high-tech models with thousands of dollars invested in them. Some provide better protection for the price, while others may not be worth the cost.
However, this blog post will focus on house surge protectors and their pros and cons.
What Is a Whole-Home Surge Protector, and How Does It Work?
Whole home surge protectors are designed to protect your entire home from surges in electricity. When an event like a lightning strike causes a sudden increase in voltage, the whole home surge protector will help distribute that energy throughout your house, so it doesn’t cause damage.
There are several types of whole-home surge protectors, but all home surge protectors work the same way. The protector first detects an abnormally high voltage spike and then sends out a signal to every device connected to your electrical grid (like lights, appliances, and even security cameras). The devices will then turn off or reduce their power output until the surge has passed.
It can be expensive up front, but it can save you money in the long run by preventing potential damage caused by spikes in electricity. They also come with peace of mind since you know that if something happens and your protection fails, you won’t have to worry about losing any property or electronics due to a power outage.
Pros of Whole House Surge Protectors:
There are many benefits of an entire home surge protector which are discussed as follows.
Protection of the entire property
This type of surge protector offers the advantage of protecting an entire property instead of individual appliances. These devices safeguard a home against power surges and lightning strikes by intercepting electrical fluctuations before they reach sensitive equipment. So if you want to protect your entire house’s electrical property, a whole-home surge protector is the way to go.
Protection of electrical appliances
No more worrying about your expensive electronics getting damaged because of frequent power surges and lightning strikes. Entire home surge protectors provide the ultimate protection to all electrical appliances throughout the house. Also, these devices are beneficial when traveling because they protect all your devices from damaging events that occur while you’re not there.
Needless to say, most electronic devices are expensive these days. Installing a whole house surge protector will save those expensive gadgets and electronics. Devices you can save by installing a whole-house surge protector are mentioned below-
- Desktop
- Laptop
- Television
- Smartphones
- Washer
- Dryer
- Refrigerators, etc.
Easy to install
There are a few reasons why whole-house surge protectors are so easy to install. First, they’re designed specifically for this purpose. Second, they come with all the necessary cables and connectors already installed.
Finally, they typically only take around two hours to complete! That’s pretty quick compared to other home improvement projects, which means you can get your surge protector up and running in no time at all. Plus, if something does go wrong with the installation (which is rare), you can easily usually fix it yourself without having to call a professional.
So overall, this type of surge protector is an easy way to safeguard your family against potential electrical disasters.
Easy to use
These are easy to use and involve simply plugging in your devices. You do not have to worry about finding outlets near the appliances that need protection, which means fewer things, will be cluttering up rooms.
Also, you don’t have to worry about where the outlets are, and this type of protector lasts a long time, so you will never have to replace it
Reduce energy bills
You already know that this surge protector will give an extensive level of protection to your electronic devices. It can help reduce energy bills by protecting your appliances and electronics from being damaged by surges in electricity. This means you won’t have to replace expensive equipment due to electrical issues and save money on your monthly energy bill.
Peace of mind
You will get peace of mind knowing that your business is protected against potentially harmful surges in power. In addition, you do not have to worry about using a whole home surge protector like a single device surge protector.
Low maintenance
It requires no maintenance other than keeping the housing clean by removing dust or other particles that may enter it. There is no need to check the inner workings because they are made to last many years of usage and work well right out of the box.
Cons of Whole House Surge Protectors
Although there are many benefits you can enjoy from a whole-house surge protector, still you can’t deny some cons which are discussed below.
High price
These devices are costly, and few people can afford to buy one for their homes. The price tag on these protectors ranges from $75 to $600, but you have to consider what your electronics are worth and how much you want to spend on protection. So it can increase your monetary expense, but it is worth it in the long run.
High installation cost
Another con of is the high cost associated with installation. Some devices can be complicated to install and require a licensed electrician, so you must pay for their services. However, installing this yourself may also be dangerous without proper electrical knowledge, which means paying for their services will not be your only expense.
Don’t stop all surges
Most home surge protector systems are only designed to protect against power surges on individual circuit breakers. This means that if there is a large surge on another circuit in the house, the whole home surge protector will not protect against it. Additionally, whole home surge protector systems are typically designed to be connected in series, resulting in a tripped breaker if there is an excessive power surge on one circuit.
Expensive to replace/fix
If the surge protector fails or is damaged, you will have to replace the entire unit instead of just one device that has been damaged. This can be expensive. So, replacing or fixing up it can be quite expensive.
Do I Need Another Surge Protector If I Have A Whole House Surge Protector?
If you install a whole-house surge protector in your house, you will not need another surge protector. You only need this type of protector when your household has a custom electrical wiring system. However, if you have devices that are more sensitive to power fluctuations, an additional surge guard will be a good solution. So, it is recommended in some cases due to reliability and safety benefits.
It’s important to remember there are also limits in specific areas covered by a house-wide protector because not every wire in your home that plugs into the main electric panel is safe. For example, an appliance with different wiring needs might be plugged into an outlet closer to another outlet. This means that the device must have a long cord to reach the other outlet.
In this scenario, the two outlets will be protected by different surge protectors, with only one of them being a whole house protector. So you can use a standard surge protector and a whole house surge protector for extra coverage.
What if You Need More Than One Surge Protector?
Like most homeowners, you probably have at least one whole house surge protector in your home. But what if you need more than one? Or what if you want to protect different parts of your house with different types of surge protection?
The main benefits of using multiple entire home Surge Protectors are redundancy and flexibility. If something goes wrong with one protector, the rest of your home is still protected. And since each type of surge protector has its own specific benefits, having various options can be extremely helpful when it comes to protecting your home from various types of surges.
One downside is that they can be expensive and bulky. Additionally, installing them can be a hassle, especially if you don’t have any experience doing DIY projects.
So before investing in a set of surge protectors, make sure they are worth the cost and meet your specific needs. That’s why you should analyze the benefit against the cost before going into a bigger investment.
Is It Worth Using?
A sudden high voltage is referred to as a Power Surge. It has the potential to harm your electronic devices. A strong power surge can even destroy those devices. Power surges mainly originate within your home. For example, a sudden lightning strike can create power surges at your home.
Surge protection for the entire house is installed near your home’s main switchboard. Notably, these devices safeguard components such as light switches and outlets.
They may also withstand significantly higher voltage variations than ordinary surge protectors for power strips. As for a lightning strike, no protection system can safeguard your home from surges.
In this case, unplugging gadgets is an intelligent practice. Thus, a Whole House Surge Protector will be worth the money because it will safeguard your expensive electrical appliances.
FAQs
The lifespan of a house surge protector depends on how often it is used and if proper care is taken when installing or using it. If your home suffers from frequent power surges, the surge protectors will need to be replaced every 2-5 years. The leading cause is that they are dealing with higher levels of electricity that can break them down faster.
The cost of surge protectors varies depending on the home’s needs. To get one that can cover all rooms in your house, expect to spend between $70-$700, including labor costs. Remember that it can vary from state to state, so be sure to do your research.
Popular Whole House Surge Protectors
There are different types of whole-house surge protectors available in the market. But, not every product can fulfill your demands. As I tried different options in my house, so my recommendations for the house surge protectors are as follows.
- 3 step notification
- 4 type rated
- 10 years warranty
- 8 ports
- NMPA certified
- Global grade
The Bottom Line
The pros and cons of whole house surge protectors are essential before installing and reducing the risk of fire or damage to all your electronic devices. Therefore, it’s necessary to consider the most valuable safety or cost when determining whether this type of protection will work best for you.
If you’re not sure which type of home protectors would work best, it may be best to talk to a professional electrician. If you decide whole house surge protectors are suitable for you, they can install them. Besides, the installation process takes time and money, so ensure this is a protection device that will provide lasting value before investing.
In my opinion, the benefits you will get from installing a whole-house surge protector at home will outperform the cons you may have from it. Most importantly, a whole-house surge protector will protect your valuable electronics at home. Besides, it is quite easy to use and will offer you excellent peace of mind.
Nonetheless, a whole-house surge protector is quite expensive. The overall installation cost is also high. Furthermore, it may not stop all surges. So, you have to take your decision very wisely when it comes to investing in a house surge protector.
