What Happens During a Power Surge (and How Can You Protect Your Home)?

In terms of electrical events, power outages tend to get most of the attention. This makes sense because outages can be extremely inconvenient and frustrating. But there’s another electrical event that homeowners should be aware of: power surges. In Texas, where severe thunderstorms, lightning and high electricity demand during certain times of the year are par for the course, power surges can happen more often than people realize. 

While some surges pass without causing any issues, others can severely damage electronics and shorten the lifespan of appliances. Read on to understand what power surges are, why they happen and what you can do to protect your home.

What is a Power Surge?

In short, a power surge is a sudden voltage spike. Power surges are usually extremely brief, typically lasting only a fraction of a second. This makes them sound almost harmless, but they’re not always. Your electronics and appliances are designed to handle a steady voltage, so when these sudden spikes happen, it can overload them. Power surges don’t always cause damage, but when they do, the damage can be permanent and require full-on replacements. Even repeated exposure to small surges can gradually wear down electronics and reduce their lifespan over time.

What Happens During One?

During a power surge, a sudden voltage spike above regular levels travels through your home’s electrical wiring. This voltage spike also travels through your electronics and appliances. Excess heat is generated by this electrical current, which can completely fry your devices. Damage happens when circuit boards are overheated or internal components are compromised, which can cause immediate equipment failure.

What Causes Power Surges?

There are several causes of power surges. The two most well-known stem from lightning strikes and power outages. If lightning strikes a nearby power line, it can send thousands of volts through your home’s wiring. When the power is restored after an outage, it can come on with a brief voltage spike. Other causes of power surges include:

• Heavy appliance use
• Overloaded circuits or plugging in too many devices at once
• Faulty or aging wiring
• Power line damage
• Power grid switching (typically happens when power companies switch power grids to meet increased electricity demand)

How Can You Protect Your Electronics and Your Home?

Even though power surges can be detrimental to your electronics and appliances, there are a couple of ways to protect your belongings from damage. The first and most obvious is to invest in surge protectors. Whole-home surge protectors are installed directly into your breaker, while point-of-use surge protectors are used to protect specific electronics when you plug them in. Note that surge protectors don’t last forever, and as they age, their ability to absorb excess voltage decreases. Replace them every 3-5 years to ensure the best performance. Other ways to protect your home from power surges include:

• Unplugging all electronics and appliances during thunderstorms and power outages
• Ensuring there’s no faulty or aging wiring in your home
• Avoiding overloading circuits or plugging in too many devices at once
• Being mindful of your appliance use

Pronto Power is a Texas power company that’s dedicated to helping homeowners protect their homes and belongings, and that starts with education. No matter your electricity needs, we’ve got your back!