Why Whole-House Surge Protection Matters More Than You Think

When most homeowners hear the phrase power surge, they picture a lightning strike during a thunderstorm. But here's the surprising truth—the majority of surges that damage your electronics actually come from inside your own home.

🌩️ What Exactly Is a Power Surge?

A power surge is a brief spike in voltage that travels through your electrical system. These spikes can be large and obvious—like when lightning strikes a utility pole—or small and subtle, caused by everyday appliances cycling on and off. Regardless of the size, surges can slowly (or instantly) damage anything plugged into your home’s outlets.

⚠️ Internal Surges: The Hidden Culprit

According to industry studies, 60–80% of all power surges originate from internal sources. That includes:

• Refrigerators and freezers

• HVAC systems (especially when compressors kick on)

• Washers and dryers

• Dishwashers and microwaves

• Power tools or equipment with motors

• Hairdryers or vacuum cleaners

These everyday devices create tiny surges each time they start or stop. Over time, those fluctuations can degrade circuit boards in TVs, computers, gaming systems, and smart home devices—leading to premature failure.

🛡️ What Does Whole-House Surge Protection Do?

Unlike plug-in surge strips that only protect individual devices, a whole-house surge protector is installed at your electrical panel to guard your entire home. It works like a pressure valve—redirecting excess voltage safely into the ground before it can travel to your outlets and fry your electronics.

Even better, whole-house surge protection doesn’t just guard against internal mini-surges. It also adds an essential layer of protection against:

• Lightning strikes nearby

• Power grid issues

• Utility switching surges

• Downed power lines

It’s a complete solution that protects every circuit, not just the ones you can see.

💡 Why Install It Now?

With summer just around the corner, your air conditioner is about to start working harder—and that’s one of the top sources of internal surges. Combine that with increased demand on the power grid, and your electrical system will be under more stress than usual.

Adding a surge protector now ensures:

• Your home is ready for the seasonal load increase

• You’re protecting new appliances or smart home investments

• Your electrical panel is working smarter, not harder

✅ The Benefits of Whole-House Surge Protection

• Covers your entire electrical system—every outlet, every circuit

• Prevents costly damage to electronics, appliances, and HVAC units

• Affordable—especially when added during a panel upgrade or service visit

• Low-maintenance and long-lasting solution

• Boosts your home’s resale value with added protection and safety features

If you're investing in smart tech, upgrading your panel, or just want to extend the life of your electronics, this is a smart, protective step. Bowman Electric can install surge protection as a standalone service or bundle it into any panel or service upgrade.

Protect your home from the inside out—before those invisible surges start costing you.