Many of us only think of
surge protection during a bad thunderstorm, when we run around the house
unplugging our expensive electronics to save them from a potential
lightning strike. While lightening causes some of the most powerful and
destructive power surges, this does not occur frequently. Surges can
also be caused when an object comes into contact with a power line, or
when utility power comes back online after an outage. Again, these
problems are infrequent.
In fact, your equipment
is much more likely to be damaged from the small, daily power surges
that occur inside your home, for example, when your furnace, air
conditioner or refrigerator draws power. These surges range from under
100 to several thousand volts.
While the majority of the
surges inside your home will do no immediate damage, their cumulative
effect can take years off the life of your electronics and appliances