Whole House Surge Protector 

 If you are plagued by frequent electrical spikes in your home, a whole house surge protector may be the answer out of all of the different type of power protection available.

Maybe you live in an area where electrical storms are the norm and your house is a magnet to lightning strikes. Such events can be costly and cause extensive damage to electrical appliances, or worse, to more expensive t.v. sets, computers, or stereo systems.

If you happen to live in a home with older wiring, the devastating result could be a house fire.

A surge suppressor that protects the entire house works by directing the spike into a grouding wire, while allowing normal voltage to travel where needed.

It's important to know that while a surge may not completely destroy an appliance, over time multiple surges can shorten the life on sensitive equipment such as computers by gradually burning the wires or wearing down internal parts. Strong surges may wipe out crucial hard drive data, or even damage costly phone equipment.

Types Of Surge Protectors

Surge suppressors basically come in three varieties: 1) Electrical, 2) Meters, and 3) Plug-in or "point of use" surge protectors. The meter and electrical suppressors work by regulating outside electrical interferences. These types are typically installed near main power meters. Conversly, plug-in suppressors connect the appliance to the wall plug and have built-in alerts as to when there has been a power surge.

If you are considering buying a whole house surge protector you need to be aware of a few things:

1) Price - Don't go cheap here. While price isn't everything, if you go with a model that is too inexpensive you may pay a higher price later.

2) UL Ratings - Make certain the suppressor you are buying meets UL ratings for excellent quality.

3) UL Standards - Your potential surge protector needs to meet ansi standards

**As a side note, if you are buying a plug-in type suppressor, be sure to check the alert indicator to make sure there has been no previous damage. Believe it or not, people will take back suppressors that have already been shot with a high surge.

Certainty Of Protection = Complete Peace Of Mind:

You want to be assured your home electronics are safe from dangerous power spikes and electrical storms, so there are a couple of points to make when investing in this type of equipment.

First, no matter what model you buy, a point of service suppressor is simply not enough to protect your expensive electronics and appliances from some surges. In reality its best to have a whole house surge protector installed by a qualified electrician in conjunction with point of service suppressors connected to your more expensive equipment. This provides the extra assurance and peace of mind knowing that your home is safe. Installing a whole house surge protector yourself will usually lead to headaches and decreased peace of mind because you will constantly be wondering if you got everything correct.

Second, and conversely, a whole house surge protector alone will not provide an adequate "blanket coverage" for all of your equipment or appliances. If you are going to invest any significant amount of money at all, its best to make sure you are completely safe from devastating surges.