DO YOU have adequate protection against power surges in your property? Is that multi-socket gizmo connected to your computer really sufficient to handle a power surge? And, what about protecting the expensive appliances like air conditioning units, the washing machine, and all the SMART devices in your home?

RELATED ARTICLE: Don’t rely on multi-socket power surge protectors

The reality is that people don’t know enough about power surges. What are they? Where do they start? How can I protect against them? And what the heck is a Surge Protection Device?

A power surge is a sudden and unwanted increase in voltage that causes damage or destroys electrical equipment. They crash hard drives and fry printed circuit boards, components that exist in practically every electrical appliance in the home.

Power surges come in two forms; the first from switching on the electricity supply network by high powered electric motors – in addition hundreds of transient spikes occur daily from electric motors in the home. The second is by lightning and electrostatic discharges.

Each year about 2 million flashes of lightning occur on the Iberian Peninsula. Lightning can strike a building directly, the ground nearby, or even overhead power lines miles away and cause power surges. Mains electric cables, TV/Sat and telephone cables which enter from the outside of a building act as conductors for lightning strikes and can facilitate the way for power surges.

When a power surge strikes it shows no mercy and will strike every appliance on a search and destroy mission. Protection for the whole house can only be provided by a Surge Protection Device (SPD) connected to the entire electrical installation in the consumer unit. It is the only way to fully safeguard everything in the home.

Considering unpredictable power surges in Spain, it is recommended to fit a Surge Protection Device (SPD) to all properties. They are strongly recommended for installations in rural areas supplied with solar energy systems exposed to high risks of lightning.

Don’t chance leaving your home unprotected.