Many homeowners mistakenly believe that power surges can only occur during a severe storm filled with lightning strikes. However, a power surge can occur at any time, even on a sunny day. What exactly is a power surge? It’s defined as any sudden spike in the electricity being sent through your home to power your appliances. They only last a second or two, but these surges could cause serious damage to the devices that your family depends on the most — including your heating system.
Now that cooler weather has made its way into many areas, you and your loved ones may be depending on the heating system to stay warm, especially on nights when the temperatures outside drop.
If a power surge hits your furnace, it may cause damage to one or more components inside the unit, or cause it to break down and become irreparable. The severity of the damage depends on the intensity of the spike in the electric arc sent to the unit, as well as the heater’s overall condition and age.
Facing the fact that a replacement may be in your near future...
Many homeowners don’t think a power surge can happen at times when there isn’t stormy weather, and they usually don’t think it’s going to cause their heater to blow out. It may come as a shock to your budget, but in many situations it may cost less to replace the unit than to have it inspected and repaired.
Fortunately, there are a few measures you can take ahead of time to help prevent this expensive and untimely situation from happening inside your family’s home. After all, nobody wants to spend thousands of dollars on unexpected expenses!
THIS is what you can do to prevent a power surge from damaging your heater...
Many experts recommend having a whole home surge protection device installed to protect your appliances (including your furnace) from the damage that can result from these spikes in electricity. It may be a more expensive option when compared to a simple power strip that you can plug a handful of electronics into, but a whole home device will more than pay for itself time and time again if it can help to prevent a heating system breakdown.
This device also will come in handy when protecting your air conditioner during spring and summer.
Be proactive and unplug appliances in bad weather!
If the weather is stormy outside, unplug electronics just in case of a power surge. This includes your TV, stereo, sound system, phone charger, computer, laptop charger, washer/dryer, and all the main appliances inside your family’s home.