Tag: power surges

Stopping Surges in Their Tracks

Published on

One of the most frustrating things you can experience as a homeowner is a rogue power surge. These jolts of electricity can fry your expensive electronics, leaving you without critical appliances you may need to go about your routine. And while you can do a few simple things to try and avoid them, sometimes surges figure out how to attack your power grid anyway.

But that doesn’t mean you’re powerless to stop them (no pun intended). With a few smart tips and tricks, you can stop surges in their tracks before they have any chance to zap your much-needed appliances. Here are a few of the most successful ways to do just that from the electrical experts at Weeks Service Co.!

Unplug It All

The first and most obvious solution is also the most time-consuming and strenuous. Power surges funnel their way through your circuitry until they can pass through outlets and into your appliances, so the obvious fix is to remove that path completely.

If you unplug your appliances, the rogue surge has no road to travel down, so to speak. If the cord is out of the outlet, then your appliances are clearly safe. But you’ve got to weigh whether it would be worth it to go through your home, stopping to unplug anything of note every time a storm arrives.

Odds are, it probably isn’t. But if you’d rather live in safety and don’t need a ton of appliances, then it may work for you!

Point-of-Use Surge Protectors

This solution is probably the one you’re most familiar with. Power strips with surge protection are designed to let you consolidate several devices into one hub. That way you aren’t responsible for keeping track of a dozen different plugs in a handful of different outlets – you can put them all in just a couple spots, which you can switch on and off all at once with ease.

However, don’t assume this means you can load up all of your plugs into one surge protector and call it good. Even though these handy devices are designed to bear the electrical load for several things at once, even they will reach a breaking point. Make sure your voltage requirements meet the amount that a surge protector can handle before you buy them.

Whole-Home Surge Protectors

Perhaps you’ve experienced one too many accidental power surges despite your best efforts, or maybe you just don’t want to risk it at all in the first place. If that’s the case, a whole-home surge protector is the right solution.

These are installed in your circuit breaker or fuse box, right where they can stop surges as they enter your home’s electrical grid. It prevents the current from traveling to any of your devices and appliances, and some of the more advanced versions can even pre-emptively shut off power to more sensitive areas if they detect inclement weather.

Weeks Service Co.: Here to Help League City, TX Stop Power Surges Year-Round

Power surges are no fun, and we understand it better than anyone. When you need reliable service from friendly faces who will implement the right surge-protection solution for you and your family, give Weeks Service Co. a call!

We’re available at 281-738-1362, and we’d love to hear from you!

Easy Methods to Avoid Power Surges

Published on

It’s just another typical weeknight. You’re kicking back, watching the latest episode of your favorite TV show while your family bustles around the house. They’re making food, flipping light switches and using different appliances when all of a sudden – zap! A power surge.

Surges bring whatever you were doing to a screeching halt. You’ve got to drop whatever you were doing to go flip a breaker or wait until the power returns – but you could’ve avoided this aggravating situation in the first place! Here are a few ways to avoid power surges from the electrical experts at Weeks Service Company.

Load Up on Surge-Protecting Power Strips

If you want a single point-of-use protector to safeguard one particularly troublesome appliance, then a surge-protecting power strip is a wise choice. These include basic surge protection inside the strip itself to help reroute potential overloads away from your appliances.

However, a word of caution. These are strikingly similar to traditional power strips – ones without surge protection added on – and it’s easy to confuse the two. Make sure that you thoroughly look over the label before purchasing one to double-check that it actually provides protection and isn’t just a collection of outlets.

Don’t Overload Outlets

Even if you do get one of those surge-protecting power strips, you don’t suddenly have unimpeded freedom to load up those outlets with a million different plugs. The surge protection does in fact work, but it isn’t an impenetrable wall against any and all electrical surges.

You still need to take care and pay mind to how many things you’ve plugged into that power strip. These things are designed to handle some measure of excess voltage, but even they will crumble under too big a spike in energy. It’s okay to plug a few things into the power strips, but don’t overload them.

Install a Whole-Home Surge Protector

On the other hand, if you just want to protect everything in your home at once and skip the piecemeal solution, invest in a whole-home surge protector. An electrician installs one of these at the source of your home’s electrical grid, so it catches any surges before they have a chance to travel through your grid.

The benefits they provide are numerous. Whole-home surge protectors handle a higher voltage load than individual power strip surge protectors are, and they last longer to boot.

Weeks Service Company: Your Surge Protection Experts

When you’re searching for an electrician in League City, don’t look any farther than the pros at Weeks Service Company. Our team members are dedicated to providing the most reliable service in the area. We’re confident you’ll find that they’ll go above and beyond to make sure you’re taken care of.

Surge protection is no match for our electricians. They’ll work with you to devise the right solution and you’ll never have to worry about your appliances being fried.

Give us a call at 281-738-1362 to find out more about our surge-protection services!