Power outages are a major concern for every homeowner keen on protecting their appliances. Any slight fluctuation in the power supply is sufficient to blow up appliances, leading to total damage or expensive appliance repair and maintenance. But the good news is that it is possible to have measures in place to counter the effects of the outages and to keep your appliances safe at all times.
The most comprehensive and recommended way to protect your appliances against power outages is to invest in a decent surge protector. There are basically two types of surge protectors you can use to achieve this and they include:
- Point of use surge protector – this protector plugs into standard electrical outlets after which it is connected directly to the appliance it protects. It is most appropriate if you have just one piece of appliance you need to protect against outages. Fridge guard is a good example of a point of use surge protector.
- Whole house surge protector – With this type, the protector is connected to the home’s main electrical panel and it offers protection to all the appliances at home. It is the best one to use if you have many appliances and you don’t want to buy a point-of-use surge protector for each one.
Features to look for in a surge protector
Whether it is a point-of-use surge protector or a whole house surge protector, there are certain features it must have to guarantee good protection for your appliances. Some of those features include:
- Joules – more joules mean more protection, thus offering your appliances protection against relatively high voltages and for a relatively longer period.
- Voltage Protection Rating (VPR) – indicates the amount of voltage allowed through the protector. The lower the voltage, the better the protector.
- Response time – this is the measure of how long the device will take before it snaps into action when a surge is detected. Your ideal protector should have lower response time to ensure that it reacts quickly to protect your appliances when there are outages.
Warranty
Finally, the surge protector should come with a warranty, either offering full or partial coverage for damage to your appliances in case a power surge occurs. This will help you lower the cost of appliance repair in instances when the protector fails.
