Power outages and electrical surges are par for the course during hurricane season.

But your sensitive electronics, expensive home entertainment components, and central air conditioning unit don’t have to become casualties of mother nature’s wrath with a whole-house surge protector.

Typically, power flows through the wiring in your home at a constant level of 110 or 220 volts. A power surge is a sudden burst of current that can push thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands, of volts through your electrical lines and anything that is plugged into an outlet. All this extra power can melt electrical lines, burn insulation, and destroy valuable electronics and appliances.

The three most likely causes are power spikes within the home, these can usually be traced back to larger appliances like your HVAC system or refrigerator, lightning, and disruptions in the electrical grid. Regardless of the cause, effective surge protection can save you thousands of dollars.

You probably already have your computer and a few other electronics plugged into a power strip that doubles as a surge protector, but what about your washing machine, HVAC system, and water heater?

With whole-house surge protection, you don’t have to worry about unprotected electrical outlets because the surge protector is wired directly to the electrical panel so it’s ready to spring into as soon as excess voltage tries to make its way through your electrical system. A whole–house surge protector shields the electrical system itself by preventing the over-voltage from reaching your outlets.

If your hurricane preparedness plan

Follow our simple suggestions and you can breathe easy

• Cool your home down to a comfortable level before the storm arrives, you may wish to consider lowering your thermostat a couple of degrees lower that usual, close all doors, windows, blinds and curtains.
• Check the outside of your property to ensure that all plants, ornaments and pool accessories are either secure or brought inside. Cover the external Air Conditioning unit with a tarp or plywood and secure it with hurricane or condenser straps.
• If you are concerned about flooding in your area and if it is possible, move the external unit to a higher level.
• Turn your refrigerator down to it's coldest setting 24 - 48 hours before a storm and try not to leave the door open for long lengths of time, this will help to extend the period keeping the contents cool should there be a power outage.
• Once the storm arrives turn off the power to the Air Conditioning. This will protect your unit from power surges that come from lightning strikes or the electricity being turned back on.
• Once the storm has passed and it is safe to venture out. Check that your outside unit has not been damaged and turn the power to the Air Conditioning back on.
• Changing your Air Conditioning filters on a regular basis and keeping the drain line clear and are necessary preventative measures to ensure the smooth operation of your Air Conditioning system.
• If you have any concerns regarding the