There are several ways to safeguard your home against power surges. The first and easiest is to use power strips with surge protection to plug in sensitive electronic equipment.

A word of caution is needed here: Not all power strips provide surge protection!

You can know your power strip provides surge protection if it has an energy absorption/dissipation rating. Power surges are measured in joules, and surge protectors are rated for the number of joules they can effectively absorb. If your surge protector is rated at 1,000 joules, it should be replaced when it hits or passes that limit. When the limit is reached, protection stops, and you're left with a basic power strip. Some surge protectors include indicator lights to warn you when they've stopped working as designed, but many do not. If your electric system takes a major hit, or if you don't remember when you bought your surge protector, replacement is the best option. 

Of course, not all electrical devices can be plugged into a surge protector. Lights, HVAC units, and other electric appliances may be hard wired directly into your electrical panel. To provide surge protection for these devices, we recommend that you consult with an electrician to: 

• Install appropriate "whole house" surge protection
• Ensure proper grounding is in place at your electrical service entrance
• Upgrade inadequate wiring or fix overloaded electrical circuits

It is important even if you have installed whole house surge protection to continue to use surge protectors on sensitive electronic devices to protect from internal surges and to provide a second layer of protection right at these devices. 

Another easy way to help protect against power surges from the electric system is to turn off appliances, HVAC units, TVs, computers, and other sensitive electronics during a power outage. This will help avoid damage from a power surge when the power is restored and will also help the system to stabilize quicker. This can be taken one step further by simply leaving devices not commonly used unplugged all the time. This can also help to improve electrical efficiency by reducing "phantom loads" that draw power while plugged in even if not being used. 

Finally, most homeowner's insurance policies cover losses from power surges. Make sure you are familiar with your policy, what is covered, and your deductible levels to prove the best balance of coverage for your specific situation. 

Electricity is an essential necessity for modern living, and Washington Electric Cooperative is committed to providing safe, reliable, and affordable power to all of our members. We hope you'll keep these surge suppression tips in mind to safeguard your electrical devices.