A surge protector is used to protect your electronics against voltage surges or spikes in your home electrical system. Most of the time, a “surge” is when the voltage in your home increases slightly and lasts for a fraction of a second. Surge protectors come in many flavors. Other names include “power strip”,( note not all power strips have surge protection) many homeowners know them for being able to extend number of outlets available for a wall outlet.. The “power strip” can be a money saver if it’s ever called upon to do its job.

What will cause voltage spikes and surges? Lightning is a potential cause when it strikes near a power line, although it is one of the more rare instances. More than likely, it could be the result of appliances located right inside your home or office. Anything that uses a motor or a compressor could be at fault. When appliances with either of those two components kick on, it can cause an initial disruption in the electrical flow throughout your home.

The electrical delivery system itself could also be the one to blame. With miles and miles of wires, transformers and other components, any one of the parts could go bad at any time, resulting in fluctuations in voltages. No doubt you’ve experienced “brown-outs” in the summer time, where the voltage drops to a level where the lights in your home dim but never really turn off. It works the same way on the other end when sometimes too much voltage gets through.

Voltage surges are not uncommon and are unavoidable, so your best bet is to protect your expensive electronics with the best surge protector you can buy. It’s important to know that surges can occur on not only electrical lines but on coaxial cable and telephone lines as well. Many of the more advanced surge protectors include cable and phone protection along side the electrical protection.
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