Whole House Surge Protection

Tuesday, August 18, 2015 10:38am

Whole House Surge Protection can be thought of much like a bouncer in a night club – allowing in only the electricity that your home truly needs and blocking any trouble that over-voltages can cause your devices from surges occurring inside your house.
SPDs (Surge Protective Devices) are usually wired to the electrical service box and are located in an area that protects all of the electrical systems and appliances in your home.

A single power surge happens in a matter of milliseconds — one thousandth of the time it takes for you to blink your eyes once. Perhaps you’ll notice the lights flicker or have an issue occur like your TV or computer locking up for no obvious reason. Perhaps you won’t notice anything.

But that seemingly insignificant spike in the electrical current that flows through the wires of your home can have huge consequences. According to the Insurance Information Institute insurance claims from power surges are included in the same category as damage that occurs from lightning strikes.

Most people assume that lightning is the biggest threat to safety associated with power surges, but that actually isn’t the case. While lightning is the most dangerous cause of power surges, it is certainly not the most common.

According to the NEMA Surge Protection Institute, 60% to 80% of power surges start inside the home, typically from major appliances and systems that cycle on and off, such as air conditioners, refrigerators, and clothes dryers. “It can happen all day long,” says Jessaca Townsend, residential product manager for Advanced Protective Technologies, a Tampa, Fla.-based manufacturer of surge protectors.

Protecting your home with a whole house Surge Protection Device (SPD) protects your home against up to 40,000 amps of electrical current flowing from outside your home into your home. The normal level of current for one household is 200 to 300 amps of power. When lightning or damage to a power line causes a sudden surge, the SPD detects the extra current and safely re-routs it through your home’s grounding path.

For electronics that are more sensitive and prone to power surges, such as home entertainment systems or computers, electrical professionals recommend a double layer of protection by using a point of use SPD.

For more information on which Whole House Surge Protection Device is best for your home, contact the professionals at John’s Electric today for a free consultation.

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Latest Tips

New homeowners should never ignore these electrical responsibilities.

Monday, August 9, 2021

Whether the issue is large or small, problems with electricity are often ignored until they become apparent. It's easy to avoid thinking about problems that can occur in our appliances, circuit breakers, wall outlets, and even light bulbs. But often, ignoring issues while they are small leads to more significant problems and the necessity for the help of an electrician.

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About John's Electric

John's Electric Inc. is a family owned and operated electrical contractor business that proudly provides electrician services in Birmingham, AL and the surrounding areas such as Hoover, Homewood, Chelsea, Vestavia Hills, Pelham, Alabaster, Trussville, and Mountain Brook. John's Electric provides residential and commercial electrical solutions at competitive rates. We have been in this line of work for 30 years, giving us not only experience but expertise as well. You can depend on us. We are a state licensed electrician (#03875) for your protection.

What others say about John's Electric Service

I called because of the great reviews, and was not disappointed. I told Aubrey what was going on and he knew right where the problem was. He communicated well when he would be here and scheduled time with the power company to shut off the main power to replace the main breaker.

I appreciated that Aubrey took the time to make sure that everything was working before he left.

Scott Klawitter

This company did an incredible job on our house. Had a few issues to get home ready for sale and he came next day - completed everything with perfection and great price. Aubrey is very honest and trustworthy! Will use him any other time I need electric work and strongly recommend him

bethuhlman

Even though I thought the price was a little high the service was fantastic. Aubrey came right away and did a great job. He cleaned up all of the "mess". I can't tell you how much that was appreciated. I have had other contractors that left all of the packaging, etc when they completed their work--as if they just couldn't be bothered. it was greatly appreciated

Debbie B.

Very pleased with John's. Free estimate, on time, quality work. Also very happy to show me electrical contractor's license and other credentials when I asked to see them. Would definitely recommend!

Clare J.

John’s Electric save’s the day.

I called for help and Aubrey came to my home when it was convenient for me. He was on time and very professional. All issues I needed to be fixed were. I am very happy with the service and the prices. I will use Aubrey again and I would recommend him to my family. Thanks so much. mvb

Venus B.

Aubrey was courteous, prompt and helpful. He knew what I needed quickly. I will be calling him the next time I need electrical service. Gave me a great price.

Diane Lockhart

Very good and professional. Solved problem and went the extra mile to fix another issue.

Bill White

Aubrey upgraded our electrical fuse panel, put in an updated outside service panel, replaced the main service line from the outside panel to the inside fuse box, and installed several outlets. His original estimate was complete and accurate. He brought our electrical system up to code and made several recommendations for changes and upgrades that we had not thought of. He worked with our schedule, was on time and very professional, and left our home as clean as when he arrived. He was extremely conscientious and reliable. We very highly recommend John's Electric and will definitely use them again.

Debbie S. Dumas