What would cause a power surge in a house?

Power surges can originate from the electric utility company during power grid switching. Another common cause of power surges, especially the most powerful ones, is lightning. Power surges can also originate inside a home when large appliances like air conditioners and refrigerator motors turn on and off.

How common is an electrical surge?

Internal power surges are the most common type. More than 50 percent of household power surges are of this variety. They may occur dozens of times every day. Most power surges are too small to be detected by the human senses and not strong enough to interrupt electrical service.

How do you build a power surge?

Lightning With your electrical system designed to channel electricity, a lightning strike can easily compromise it. When lightning does strike your electrical system, it has no choice but to accept the overwhelmingly excessive current. This creates a massive spike, therefore creating a power surge.

What does it mean when your house has a power surge?

A power surge is an unexpected and unavoidable upward spike in the power supply to your home’s electrical outlets. Most electrical appliances draw 120 volts AC power from electrical outlets. When a quick, intense burst of power makes its way through those outlets, you’ve got problems.

How to get surge protection for your home?

If you’re ready to upgrade your home’s surge protection, call Mr. Electric. We install whole house surge protectors in a fast and friendly manner. Before you know it, your whole house will be protected from power surges. Call (844) 866-1367 or click to request a quote from your local Mr. Electric.

Can a power surge be covered by insurance?

Most of the time, power surges aren’t covered by your insurance policies so you’d have to shoulder the replacement cause yourself. Even when the power surge doesn’t totally destroy your appliances, it can damage the internal circuitry of these appliances.

How does a surge protector on a power strip work?

Surge protectors work by passing electrical current from the electrical outlet to the devices plugged into the strip. A surge or spike above the designated level causes the surge protector to automatically redirect the “extra” electricity into metal oxide varistors (MOVs) inside the power strip.

Can a space heater cause a power surge?

Refrigerators, air conditioners and even space heaters can cause a power surge strong enough to damage electrical systems. This is especially true if you have faulty wiring that affects your home’s ability to withstand spikes.