Take a look around your home—chances are, your computer, TV, and a few other electronics are plugged into power strips with built-in surge protection.

That’s a good start, but here’s the problem: most of your essential appliances and systems aren’t protected at all. What about your refrigerator, washing machine, central air conditioning system, or even your water heater? Odds are, they’re plugged straight into the wall—leaving them vulnerable every time there’s a power surge.

The truth is, point-of-use surge protectors can only do so much. If you want complete peace of mind, the best solution is whole-house surge protection.

What Is Whole-House Surge Protection?

Whole-house surge protectors are hardwired directly into your home’s electrical panel. Unlike a single surge protector strip that only protects the devices plugged into it, a whole-house system defends your entire electrical system—from your HVAC and kitchen appliances to your internet router and security system.

When a power surge hits—whether from a lightning strike, power grid disruption, or even a large appliance cycling on and off—this system intercepts the excess voltage before it reaches your outlets. That means your home’s electronics and wiring are safe, even from the kinds of internal surges that often go unnoticed but add up over time.

Why Are Power Surges So Dangerous?

You might think of surges as rare events tied to storms, but many power surges originate inside your home. Every time your air conditioner, dryer, or refrigerator kicks on, it can send a small surge back through

Before we get into all that, let’s start by explaining what makes a thermostat smart…

Programable thermostats (thermostats that can adjust the temperature based on a pre-set schedule), have been around, in one way or another, since 1906. So why is everyone, “all of a sudden” (for the past 10 years or so), talking about “smart” thermostats, and what’s so smart about them anyway?!

For a thermostat to be considered “smart”, it just has to be Wi-Fi enabled. The most basic models just allow you to remotely adjust the temperature with a smartphone app. This is great because it allows you to set the thermostat to your desired temperature before leaving work after a 12-hour shift or from the tarmac after a weeklong vacation, while maintaining an energy-saving temperature while you’re away.

The really smart ones “learn” your preferences and routine (mostly through motion sensors) and automatically adjust to an energy-saving temperature when you’re asleep or away. Higher end models use features like geofencing to achieve your desired temperature by the time you get home.

In summary, smart thermostats use motion sensors and geofencing to figure out when nobody is home, and automatically go into energy-saving mode when your house is empty. They also make it extremely easy to set up a sensible heating and cooling schedule. According to real-world data gathered by the EPA, smart thermostats (that meet Energy Star criteria) save users an average of 8% on their electric bills.

For comparison, setting your programable thermostat 7 to