The Best Whole House Surge Protectors of 202

Table Of Content

• Popular Whole House Surge Protectors
• Types of Surge Protectors
• Different things cause power surges. This includes storms and big gear starting and stopping.
• Surge Protector Features
• Leviton 51120-1 Panel Protector
• The Best Media Streaming Devices for Your Entertainment
• The Best Power Strips for Overcrowded Outlets
• How Much Protection Does a Whole-House Surge Protector Offer?

The caveat is, with a NEMA 1 rating, it’s rated for indoor installation only. The amount of electrical current a surge protector can absorb is measured in kiloAmps. Look for whole-house surge protectors that are 30 kA and up to ensure all your appliances are protected. Whole-house surge protectors cost anywhere from about $60 to $300, with a lifespan of roughly five to 10 years.

Popular Whole House Surge Protectors

It weighs just over 2.5 lbs, and the dimensions are 6-inch x 10-inch x 4-inch. Despite its impressive 80kA protection level, the HEPD80’s outstanding performance doesn’t also come with exorbitant pricing, as this unit remains a very affordable option. It is both UL listed and Canadian Standards Association (CSA) certified.

Types of Surge Protectors

In her spare time, you'll find her planning her next trip, reading historical fiction, and seeing as much art as she can squeeze into a weekend. You'll likely also see CSA on packaging, which is the equivalent Canadian standard certification for electrical and mechanical products. This is a highly regarded global organization, and certification underlines the high safety standards of the device.

Different things cause power surges. This includes storms and big gear starting and stopping.

As an engineer and home remodeler, I have worked with electrical contractors to specify and install them on a few occasions. With this comprehensive guide, I can help you determine how to choose the best whole-house surge protector for your property. The Leviton is a line of surge protectors specially designed for residences with a power voltage of 120 or small businesses where there is a high risk of exposure to voltage transients. Voltage transients are a specific category of surges that originate from within the home, or from nearby houses and establishments. Large devices kicking on or off (such as water heaters) can cause a sudden influx of electricity that can damage smaller devices. Sizing a complete whole house surge protection system can be a challenge.

Surge Protector Features

The whole house surge protector is fully compatible with Decora Home Controls, and it comes with a ten-year lifetime warranty as well. The device is designed to divert the high voltage or energy away from the sensitive equipment within the household and it ideally suitable for apartments, homes as well as services entrances. Outlet adapter surge protectors plug into standard electrical receptacles and have built-in surge protection. Their design saves space and provides protection in locations where a common surge protector strip isn’t feasible.

Leviton 51120-1 Panel Protector

Whole Home Surge Protectors are an essential investment for protecting all the electronic devices in your home. However, while purchasing a surge protector, it is equally important to consider the warranty and customer support offered by the manufacturer. Therefore, it is wise to opt for a manufacturer that offers good warranty and customer support to maximize the protection of your home’s electronics.

OUC joins Duke Energy, FPL in providing surge protection service - WKMG News 6 & ClickOrlando

OUC joins Duke Energy, FPL in providing surge protection service.

Posted: Wed, 15 Jul 2015 07:00:00 GMT [source]

You may still have a few unanswered questions about surge protectors for the home. It’s also worth checking out our useful power outage survival guide. The UL-listed Intermatic surge protector has clear LED indicators for on and protected states. Should one of the three independent modules fail due to overload, a built-in power switch means the surge protector can be isolated, making replacement easy and safe. The compact unit can be installed indoors or out and is easy to mount thanks to an innovative universal design that can be adapted to almost any panel. The NEMA 4 case is unusual on a budget device and capable of protecting the internal circuitry from rain, snow, and ice.

Offering unmatched Type 2 indoor and Type 4 outdoor surge protection, this device ensures your home’s defenses are second to none, making it a worthwhile investment for premium, long-lasting safety. Many homeowners believe that adequate surge protection begins and ends with plugging their computer into a power strip. NEMA has a standardized rating system covering electrical device enclosures used in the U.S. It specifies the environments where a particular device can be installed and used safely.

How Much Protection Does a Whole-House Surge Protector Offer?

These surge protectors are always working, and even if the home does not experience any large power surges, they will stop small surges from entering. Small surges will wear out the surge protector over time, so it is important for homeowners to have them replaced every few years. The actual cost will depend on where the nearest power source is located and whether the outlet is a standard one, a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), or a higher-voltage outlet. In addition to the cost factors explained above, there are a few more that may apply in certain situations.

Many people believe that power strips will protect their devices from a power surge. However, this is nothing more than a misconception that has been spread around the homeowner discourse for years. Typically, whole-house suppressors are hard-wired to the service panel, a process that takes a licensed electrician about two hours. Whole-house systems should be rated to stop a 40,000-amp surge, at minimum.

If you have experience working with electrical systems and feel confident in your abilities, you may be able to install a surge protector yourself. However, it is important to research the process thoroughly and follow all safety guidelines to avoid injury or damage to your home’s electrical system. It is also essential to choose the right type of surge protector for your home’s needs to ensure maximum protection against power surges. Whole house surge protectors are the perfect choice for any homeowner looking to protect every device within their home from electrical surges and overloads. These devices not only protect a home’s fleet of electrical outlets but also every appliance that is left plugged into them during a lightning strike or other surge event.

On the other hand, they require professional installation by an electrical contractor, which could be costly. Any extra power gets sent along the ground wire, back into the earth where it can’t harm anything. That doesn’t mean you’re left in danger, though; plug-in surge protectors handle those smaller leaks. Type 1 means that it is located before the  service panel (line side), often outside. They are attached to a 240V dedicated circuit breaker inside the panel, but mounted outside it.

These surges can damage electronic devices like computers, televisions, or home theaters. Whole Home Surge Protectors can help prevent this damage by diverting excess voltage away from the electronic gadgets during a power surge. The protectors work by absorbing excess voltage and preventing the excess surge voltage from flowing through the wiring and entering the home.

As these commonly overlooked devices also carry electricity, having this feature is great for anyone still on a landline, as well as anyone with cable TV or internet. This, combined with its excellent warranty and low price, is one of the first models we’d recommend checking out. With our growing reliance on electronics and our inevitable move towards smart homes, it’s just not feasible to get a power strip for every single outlet in your whole home.