If you’re a homeowner in the Coachella Valley, you probably have most of your electronics plugged into surge protectors. After all, everyone knows exposing your electronics to power surges can damage or even ruin them. What everyone doesn’t always realize is that their major appliances such as your refrigerator and AC unit are also electronics and are just as susceptible to power surges as your TVs, computers and stereo systems.
Why You Should Protect Your AC Unit With A Surge Protector
With our hot desert climate, your air conditioning unit is one of the most important appliances serving your home. You can still do dishes if your dishwasher goes out, but on a triple-digit summer day, you simply cannot function without a working air conditioner. Thus, you need to make sure that your AC unit is safe from harm. This includes regular HVAC maintenance to protect against usage-related breakdowns and surge protection to protect against unexpected power surges.
How Power Surges Impact Your AC
Like any electrical appliance, power surges can damage the inner wiring of your air conditioning unit. Your first thought is probably of a large surge from a lightning strike or blown transformer, which can immediately fry the inner workings of any appliance in its path. But the biggest risk to your home electronics is actually from small power surges.
Small surges happen every day and the damage they cause is subtle and cumulative. These mini-surges can be caused by anything from fluctuations in the power grid to your washing machine pulling extra power during the spin cycle. Because the surges are small, the damage they do is small, too. Electrical components in your AC unit don’t burn up all at once but a little at a time, with damage accumulating until the air conditioner can no longer function under the stress of degraded components.
How A Surge Protection Device Can Help
Unfortunately, there’s no way to prevent power surges from occurring; you can only prevent their damaging effects through surge protection. There are two surge protection options you can choose from.
- An HVAC Surge Protector—Install a surge protection device designed specifically for air conditioners and heat pumps. An HVAC surge protection device is installed at the AC condenser and automatically directs excess electricity into the ground during a power surge.
- A Whole-Home Surge Protector—This is a larger surge protection device that is wired into your electrical service box and protects all of the wiring and electronics in your home at the same time. Like the smaller HVAC-specific version, excess electricity is redirected into the ground during a power surge, protecting your home and appliances from damage.
If you have questions about which surge protection option is better for your home’s needs or want to schedule a surge protector installation, call Hydes at (760) 360-2202. We’re happy to help with all your electrical service needs!
