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Surge Protection — Buy surge protectors before you need them, for peace of mind, protection and savings.

If you've ever noticed a flicker on your TV or lights, you've experienced a power surge. Too many power surges, or one really big one, could permanently damage your home, TV, VCR, satellite dish, computer, or appliances. That could mean major repair or replacement bills.

Power surges can originate both outside and inside the home. In either case, they can mean damage to your home or equipment. To be fully protected, you need protection for both types of surges.

• Power surges that originate outside the home
• Surge protection for outside surges
• Power surges that originate inside the home
• Real surge protectors vs. cheaper "power bars"
•  Will surge protection plug-ins work with two-prong outlets?
• Who do I call to check if my home is properly grounded?
• Why do I need surge protection if I have property insurance?
  
  

Power surges that originate outside the home
Power surges can be caused by lightning, ice and wind storms, vehicle accidents involving poles and lines, or neighbours using large amounts of electricity (e.g. power tools). The surges can enter your home through power, telephone, or cable lines.

When an animal touches two pieces of equipment that are at different voltage levels, a small electric current passes through the body. This current is known as "tingle" or "stray" voltage.

About 30 - 40 per cent of all power surges start outside of your home. That's why it's important to get a surge protector that protects your home against outside surges.

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Surge protection for outside surges
These surge protectors are installed between your electricity meter and your home. They provide first level protection from power surges that enter from outside the home through power lines. They stop most power surges by preventing their passage beyond the meter base to the main electrical panel and household equipment.

That protects your home, your heating and cooling systems, appliances, and televisions.

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Power surges that originate inside the home
Most surges are created inside your home. Turn on a big appliance, like a dryer or air conditioner, and you could a create a brief surge that runs through your wiring possibly damaging the delicate components of your electronic equipment.

Other causes of inside surges include faulty or loose electrical wiring, faulty circuit breakers, overloaded circuits, or poorly grounded wall outlets or appliances.

That's why it's so important to use plug-in surge protectors for your home office equipment such as computers, printers, telephones, and answering machines, and your entertainment systems, including your stereo, television, and VCR.

Today you can buy a variety of plug-in surge protectors designed for each specific task. For basic protection, two or eight-plug units are perfect. For your home office, choose protectors that also allow you to plug in your phone, fax, and modem lines. For your television and entertainment systems, choose the protectors that also include protection for cable or satellite connections.

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Real surge protectors vs. cheaper "power bars"
Real surge protectors offer high levels of security. Read the packaging and compare and you'll see that many power bars just aren't advanced enough or quick enough to protect today's sensitive digital equipment. Also compare the manufacturers' warranties.

Look for a lifetime product warranty by the manufacturer, together with a lifetime downline repair or replacement warranty.

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Will surge protection plug-ins work with two-prong outlets?
The plug-ins have two-prongs PLUS a ground. To use the plug-ins on any equipment in your home, the wall outlet it is plugged into will need a ground wire. To do this, contact an electrician asking to have three-wire grounded wiring installed at the wall outlet. The surge protection plug-in can then be used with that wall outlet.

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Who do I call to check if my home is properly grounded?
Call any qualified electrician or contractor.

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Why do I need surge protection if I have property insurance?
Not all insurance policies cover damage from power surges. If your insurance does cover surges, you could be charged a deductible of up to $500. These products can stop a surge from causing damage to your property and therefore eliminate the inconvenience of trying to repair or replace property. The warranty coverage offered on quality surge protectors is primary coverage which does not require you to claim through your property insurance first.