Count on the Electrical Experts at Blaze
Summers in the Research Triangle bring more than heat. While your air conditioning is in full swing, summer storms hold sway. Central North Carolina is notorious for sudden, violent afternoon thunderstorms that roll across Raleigh, Durham, Cary, and Chapel Hill. With storms comes heavy lightning activity. The Triangle maybe isn’t known as the lightning capitals of the US like Florida is, but it still does a number on our area, and our electronics.
A lot of homeowners think that their electronics are only at risk if a lightning bolt scores a direct hit on their property, but that’s just not true. A single nearby strike or a sudden utility grid fluctuation can send thousands of excess volts coursing through your wiring in milliseconds. This’ll immediately dry your appliances and expensive electronics. But you can protect them.
At Blaze Heating, Cooling, Electrical & Plumbing, our licensed electricians specialize in whole-home surge protection in Raleigh, NC, and the rest of the Triangle. Since we’re right in Zebulon, we have quick access to the US-64 bypass and the I-540 loop. Our team can quickly get to homeowners throughout Wake, Durham, and Orange counties.
What Is Whole-Home Surge Protection?
When you think of surge protection,do you ever think of cheap plastic power strips plugged into your wall? That’s not true surge protection. While those do offer some localized defense for a tiny cluster of devices, they leave the rest of the house completely exposed.
A whole-home surge protector works on a hugely different scale. a whole-home unit is installed directly into your main electrical panel by a licensed electrician. It essentially creates a “shield” that protects every circuit , appliance, electronic, and switch in your home.
How a Surge Protector in Raleigh, NC, Works
At a basic level, a surge protector safeguards your home this way:
- The surge protector constantly monitors the incoming electrical current from the grid to your home
- Once any voltage spike or surges happen, the surge protector detects it immediately
- Before any massive waves of energy can come through to fry your electronics, the surge protector redirects the electricity down into the earth via your grounding wire.After that, everything runs as normal.
Why Triangle Homeowners Need Surge Protection
We have beautiful seasons here in central NC, but with it comes those intense regional storm patterns. Everyone in the Triangle knows we’re sitting right in the epicenter of all that severer weather. That means power grid instability isn’t exactly unexpected. Raleigh, Durham, and Cary have tons of heavy lightning activity every summer. If you’re not protected, massive electrical tidal waves from storms can make their way right to your electrical panel.
But we also deal with electricity problems not related to storms.
- Grid switching: Utility companies often switch power routing to balance the load across Wake, Durham, and Orange counties. That’ll often create those huge voltage spikes.
- Power restoration: When storms do knock out power, all the sudden rush of electricity when the grid kicks back on is immense. That alone can catch your home’s electronics off guard.
Signs Your Home Is at Higher Risk for Surge Damage
Here are some common signs that you may need whole-home surge protection in Raleigh, NC, and the Triangle at large.
- You’re experiencing flickering lights or brief power blips during storms
- Any appliances or electronics fail unexpectedly after storms or outages
- Your home’s older and hasn;t had any system updates in 10+ years
- You’ve recently added new appliances, EV chargers, hot tubs, HVACs, etc.
- You work from home and have an expensive home office setup that can’t afford to take any damage
If any of those apply to you, contact Blaze today and we can talk about installing a surge protector for your home in the Triangle.
What Whole-Home Surge Protection Covers
So what does surge protection actually cover?
- Your HVAC (one of the most expensive systems running in your home)
- Kitchen appliances; refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave, range, etc.
- Washer and dryer
- Home entertainment systems and smart TVs
- Smart home hubs, security systems, and connected devices
- EV chargers and charging equipment
- Any device or appliance that’s plugged into a circuit in your home
Schedule Surge Protection Installation in the Triangle
Ready to talk about protecting your home from any voltage spikes? Call the electrical experts at Blaze today for more information on whole-home surge protectors in Raleigh, NC, and the rest of the Research Triangle. One storm is all it takes. Don’t wait to be taken off guard! We’re here to serve Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary, Apex, Wake Forest, Fuquay-Varina, and surrounding Triangle communities.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a whole-home surge protector last?
Rather than other appliances and systems in your home that can run 10 to 15 years, a surge protectorate is rated to absorb a certain number of joules of surge energy over their lifetime. After a big electrical event (like a nearby lightning strike) the device might need replacing even if your home didn’t get the brunt of a strike.Typical lifespan ranges from 3 to 5 years depending on surge activity. The Blaze team can inspect your existing unit and let you know the full picture, and inform you on new surge protector installations.
Is surge protection installation worth the cost?
Yes, absolutely. The cost of a whole-home surge protector and professional installation is a fraction of the cost of replacing a single major appliance; HVAC systems, refrigerators, and EV chargers alone represent thousands of dollars in potential surge damage. Many electricians and insurance professionals consider it one of the highest-value electrical upgrades a homeowner can make.