Did you just have a power surge? If that’s the case, what do you do?

This is a question I often get from people I know. Even after writing about the pros and cons of a whole house surge protector, still there is need to give a step by step guide to address this issue.

When Do Power Surges Happen?

Power surges actually happen more often than most people think. It’s not limited to whenever there’s a lightning storm, though such cases are also frequent. In the continental US, lightning strikes happen 20 million times per year.

Then you have problems such as downed power lines that can cause power surges too. Sometimes this happens during a storm, or maybe there’s a car accident.

Power surges actually occur 20 times a day in the average household. You just don’t notice it because typically they’re mild power surges.

It’s just that even these mild power surges can damage the circuits of your electrical appliances a little bit. Over time, one of these mild power surges might just be the straw that breaks the camel’s back and damage one of your home appliances.

Half the time, the cause isn’t external such as due to a lightning strike. During these times, the cause is internal. Maybe you have a very old electrical system and you’re suffering from faulty wiring.

Or perhaps like most households, you have lots of electrical appliances that you keep plugged in. These appliances are vulnerable to power surges, and you risk having to replace them when that happens.

The Surge Tips: Preventing Power Surge Damage

So, to keep yourself from worrying too much from power surges, here are some preventive tips you can follow:

• Install a comprehensive whole house power surge protector. You may even want to install wall socket power surge protectors as an additional measure.

• Keep your appliances unplugged when you’re not using them. I know this is hard to do because I struggle with it also. However, it protects them from damage if there’s ever a power surge, though if you don’t have surge protectors then your plugged-in appliances (like your fridge) are at risk.

• Have your grounding system inspected. Your power surge protectors are only as good as your grounding system, so it should be in working order. Have it inspected, and upgraded if necessary.

• Have your home electrical system inspected. This is especially crucial if you have an older home. If you have issues such as faulty wiring, power surges aren’t even your worst potential problem. These issues can lead to short circuits and eventually house fires.

What to Do After to Fix a Power Surge

When you experience a large power surge, take a deep breath and keep calm. Get a flashlight if the power is out, and make sure everyone’s alright.

1. Unplug all your appliances

• Yes, this may seem like closing the barn door after the darn horse has escaped, but you still need to do it.
• Your appliances may not be damaged yet, but another power surge may deal them the death blow.

2. Reset the circuit breaker

• Find the circuit breaker and the switch than turns the whole power system on and off. Turn this switch off, then turn it on. The power should return, unless the power is out for your whole area.
• By the way, this means you should already know where the circuit breaker is, and also the master switch. If you don’t know these things yet, find out!

3. Check your appliances

•  Plug each appliance in, and then see if they’re still working. Set any appliance aside if they won’t work. You’ll have to find a technician later to see if they can be repaired, though chances are the circuits are fried.
• That means it may be more cost-effective to just replace the malfunctioning appliances. Yes, that’s going to be expensive and it won’t be covered by your home insurance. I told you so!

4. Reset Your HVAC

• Your heating and air conditioning system is a special case. It’s a bit more finicky, so you should have your owner’s manual ready. If it’s not ready, then get it ready now!
• The manual should have instructions on resetting the HVAC. If you can’t find the manual, go online and download it. If you can’t, then you need a professional to reset it for you.

Final Thoughts

Yes, it’s troublesome when you have a power surge at home. It can be very costly, especially if it blasts your PC and your TV.

Or you have to stay without your home theater sound because it is damaged!

So, invest in a proper power surge protection system for your home—prevention is better than the cure.

Besides, you don’t want other people knowing about your trouble and then having them say I told you so.