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Michigan thunderstorms are a common summertime event. These electrical storms often cause power grid disruptions and surges. Here are some things you can do to protect all your home’s electronics during thunderstorms.
Make Unplugging Things a Habit
The simplest, least expensive way to protect your home’s electronics during thunderstorms is to keep them unplugged. If you habitually unplug devices when you’re not using them, you won’t need to do it when a storm arrives. At first, it may seem quite inconvenient to keep things unplugged.
However, you’ll likely find that you rarely use most plugged-in devices in your home. Toasters, air fryers, and TVs in spare bedrooms are perfect for unplugging. The fewer things you leave plugged in, the fewer devices are at risk in a thunderstorm. Then, you can focus your other protective efforts on what remains.
Keep in mind that most homes have GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlets in the home. These outlets are designed to stop the flow of power if they face a large surge. While this is meant to help protect electrical items and their users in locations near water, they can also help with lower-level electrical surges during thunderstorms.
Use High-Quality Plug-in Surge Protectors
The next thing to do to protect your electronics from thunderstorm-related damage is to use high-quality plug-in surge protectors. You can start by looking at all the power strips you have in your home. Frequently, those get confused with surge protectors, with disastrous results. Most power strips offer no surge protection capacity. Those that do will feature status lights and a reset button. If your power strips lack those features, don’t trust them to protect your electronics.
When you shop for plug-in surge protectors, there are a few things to consider. Consider purchasing models made by well-known manufacturers with a track record of quality. The other is to buy models with sufficient Joule ratings. Joule ratings let you know the strength of the power surge that the unit can handle before failing. The rule of thumb is to use surge protectors with Joule ratings up to 1,000 to protect small electronics. You should use models with Joule ratings above 2,000 for things like home theater equipment and computers.
Check your home’s surge protectors regularly to ensure that they still work. As surge protectors do their job, their ability to stop subsequent surges diminishes. When their capacity falls below acceptable levels, most surge protectors illuminate a warning light to let you know. Others may have a light that only shines when items are being adequately protected. When the surge protector indicates that it is no longer adequately protecting your electronics, replace the power strip.
Have Whole-Home Surge Protection Installed
No matter how high the Joule rating on a plug-in surge protector is, its protection has limits. For example, no plug-in models can survive a direct or close-by lightning strike. There are likely plenty of electronic devices in your home that you can’t plug into a surge protector, like those hard-wired into the wall. The good news is that there’s a way to protect those devices and the rest of your home from high-voltage power surges. It’s called a whole-home surge protector.
There are two types of whole-home surge protectors available today. One is a Type 1 protector, which installs between your incoming power line and main electrical panel. It offers complete protection against external power surges, including direct lightning strikes.
The second is a Type 2 whole-home surge protector. It gets installed inside your home’s electrical panel and offers protection from both internal and external power surges. You may not know it, but your home likely experiences internal power fluctuations several times daily. They happen whenever a large electronic device in your home turns on or off. You may have noticed the lights dimming when someone uses a hair dryer, for example. The momentary power imbalance caused by their activation and deactivation creates a power surge.
While most internal surges won’t destroy your electronics instantly, they have cumulative effects. If you’ve ever had an electronic device suddenly die without warning, internal power surges may be why. A Type 2 whole-house surge protector will absorb those internal power surges to protect your electronics. However, they won’t completely protect your home from direct lightning strikes. They’ll absorb enough power to stop catastrophic damage, but your electrical panel will likely need repair afterward.
Have Regular Electrical Inspections
It’s also worth pointing out that any degradation of your home’s electrical system makes it more vulnerable to storm-related damage. To prevent that, it’s wise to have an electrical inspection performed at least every three years. During an electrical inspection, our electrician will check your home’s electrical components for signs of wear. They’ll also test your electrical panel and breakers to ensure they work as intended. If they find anything that needs repair or replacement, they’ll let you know so you can act.
Consider a Whole-Home Generator
Finally, you should consider installing a whole-home generator to keep your home powered during a grid failure. After all, preventing damage to your electronics is fine, but they’re useless if a storm knocks out grid power. A whole-home generator supplies as much power as your home needs until grid power returns.
Most whole-home generators operate using your home’s natural gas supply. That means they can run almost indefinitely during a power outage. You can install a generator with an automatic transfer switch for maximum convenience. It sits between your generator and your home’s electrical system. Whenever the transfer switch detects a grid power failure, it activates your generator and disconnects your home from the grid. Then, when power returns, it shuts off your generator and reconnects your home to the grid.
If your home lacks a preexisting natural gas supply, you can choose a whole-home generator powered by propane. Most models include propane storage tanks suitable for burial on your property. They’re typically big enough to keep a large generator running for two weeks without a propane refill. Otherwise, propane generators are functionally identical to natural gas generators.
You can also choose a lower-powered generator to connect to power only your home’s essential items during a blackout. It can lower your upfront cost while providing security from storm-related power outages. To install one, we’d first segregate the circuits that power your essentials into their own electrical box. Most homeowners include lights, some outlets, refrigerators, freezers, and HVAC equipment. Then, we’d install a transfer switch between that sub-panel and your home’s main electrical panel. In that way, your generator would power only the sub-panel in the event of a grid failure.
Michigan’s Residential Electrical Specialists
If you want to upgrade your home to protect its electronics from Michigan thunderstorms, Service Professor can help. For over 40 years, we’ve offered quality electrical services in Grand Rapids, MI, and beyond. Our services include electrical inspections, whole-home surge protection, and whole-home generators.
We provide upfront pricing and financing options for larger electrical projects on approved credit. Plus, we’re Top-Rated on HomeAdvisor, a Nextdoor Neighborhood Fave, and a recipient of the Angi Super Service Award.
If you need help defending your home’s electronics from Michigan’s thunderstorms, call Service Professor today!
