Whole-house surge protection

By Bill Streb Owner, Streb Electric

This time of year, with summer storms wreaking havoc in Northeast Ohio, we like to touch on the importance of installing a whole-house surge protector.

A friend of mine in Mentor recently realized this too late. Lightning struck near his home and entered it, leaving in its wake a fried main electrical panel and subpanels, and destroying several high-end appliances.

Luckily, his insurance company covered the work we had to do to replace the panels and rewire the home, since it had older knob-and-tube wiring inside the walls. It was a mess.

All that could have been prevented if he’d had whole-house surge protection. Whether at the meter or the main electrical panel, this device limits the amount of voltage that can enter your home to protect it from sudden surges in current. There are secondary surge protectors you can use at the appliance or outlets, but we recommend for peace of mind and complete protection to go with a whole-house device.

In addition to a main power surge caused by a storm or downed power lines, little surges can damage appliances and electronics, and shorten their lifespan up to 30%. The average house in Lake County experiences about 20 power surges per day. Surges can also enter your home through your phone lines or cable lines.

A little bit of prevention can save you the pain of having to replace appliances and computers, as well as your electrical system if you’re hit by a surge.

Give us a call. We can stop out and let you know how to best prevent one happening to you.

Streb Electric is located at 36445 Biltmore Place, in Willoughby. The service company has earned a reputation for making sure homes are safe and free from electrical hazards for over 40 years. Call 440-953-5819 or visit StrebElectric.com for more information.