Do you know how to choose a whole house surge protector?
A whole-house surge protector is an essential piece of equipment for your home. It can protect your appliances, electronics, and other sensitive devices from power surges that come through the electrical lines.
You might not think about it until something wrong happens, but you’ll be glad you had one installed when it does.
There are many different surge protectors on the market today, so it’s hard to know which one is best for your needs.
We’ve created this guide to help make things easier for you! Follow along as we walk through what features matter most in a whole house surge protector to get the best one.
Top 5 Things You Should Consider Before Buying A Whole House Surge Protector
Our comprehensive buying guide will take you through everything you need to know about whole house surge protectors so that your search for the right one for your needs is quick and painless!
These are just five things that you should be asking to help ensure you get a suitable surge protector for your home.
1) Safety Rating:
Safety ratings for surge protectors are vital because they tell you how much voltage and joules the surge protector can withstand before it fails. The higher the number of joules, the better protection you will have against power surges!
So try to choose one with a minimum rating of 330 joules.
2) Response Time/Recovery Period:
This is the amount of time it takes for the surge protector to “recover” after taking a hit from a power surge. The faster the recovery time, the better your equipment will be protected!
The response time for a good surge protector should be less than half a nanosecond (ns). Anything slower, and you risk letting harmful power surges come through to your equipment.
3) Diagnostic LEDs:
Diagnostic LEDs are lights that will light up in different colors to tell you if there is a problem with the surge protector. If you choose a surge protector with diagnostic LEDs, it will make it easier for you to know when something needs repair or replacement.
So choose a whole house surge protector with diagnostic LEDs, so you know when it’s time to have the surge protector serviced.
4) EMI/RFI Noise Filtering:
It’s another feature that is beneficial to surge protectors, and it is helpful for those with sensitive equipment.
Most devices with an LCD screen will be susceptible to EMI/RFI noise, but the filtering will lessen this interference so you can still read your screen. So think about this feature when you are deciding which whole house surge protector to purchase.
5) Clamping Voltage:
This is another important thing because it tells you how much voltage the surge protector will allow before “clamps” off the surge. A lower clamping voltage will do more to protect your equipment from surges of high voltages.
So try to find a whole house surge protector with a clamping voltage of 330 volts or lower.
6) Warranty:
Of course, the warranty is important because it tells you how long you can expect your surge protector to last. In addition, the more extended warranty provides better quality!
The good news is that most companies are now offering lifetime warranties on their surge protectors!
Summary:
The above features are the most important things to consider when buying a whole house surge protector. Along with those things, you should consider knowing about the pros and cons of the whole house surge protector that will help you to choose the best one.
But it is better to choose a surge protector with valuable features rather than thinking about the price.
So, we hope that the above information about whole house surge protectors has helped you in some way to satisfy your needs.
