For most homes it’s worth it. Today’s furnaces, air conditioners, water heaters, refrigerators, washers and garage door openers all run on circuit boards that a voltage surge can damage. Lightning and utility switching cause the big surges, and Southern Utah’s summer monsoon storms bring plenty of lightning. Smaller surges happen inside the home every day as motors in AC units and appliances cycle on and off, wearing electronics down over time.
A whole-home surge protector mounts at your electrical panel and diverts surges before they reach any circuit. Plug-in surge strips still help as a second layer for computers and TVs, but they can’t protect hard-wired equipment like an HVAC system. Recent editions of the National Electrical Code require surge protection when a home’s electrical service is installed or replaced, which makes a panel upgrade a good time to add it.
Whole-home surge protection is installed by our St. George & Hurricane team. It isn’t offered in Flagstaff, Durango or Jackson, where Element doesn’t provide electrical service.
