The Value of Whole-House Surge Protectors

A surge protector hard-wired to your circuit breaker box should be simple for your electrician to install. Image: Veer

A power surge happens in milliseconds — a thousandth of the time it takes you to blink your eyes. Maybe you see the lights flicker, or your computer locks up for no apparent reason. Maybe you don’t notice anything at all.

But that little spike in the current flowing through the wires of your house can have big consequences. The Insurance Information Institute includes insurance claims from power surges in the same category as damage from lightning strikes. Together they resulted in more than $1 billion in insured losses in 2008, with an average claim of $4,329. There’s an easy and affordable way to steer clear of those kinds of losses. They’re called whole-house surge protectors, and here’s how they work.

What causes power surges

Most people worry about a power surge being caused by something outside of the house, like a lightning strike or a downed power line. While lightning is the most dangerous cause of surges, it’s far from the most common. According to the NEMA Surge Protection Institute, 60% to 80% of power surges start inside the home, typically from major appliances and systems that cycle on and off, such as air conditioners, refrigerators, and clothes dryers. “It can happen all day long,” says Jessaca Townsend, residential product manager for Advanced Protective Technologies, a Tampa, Fla.-based manufacturer of surge protectors.

Over time, those fluctuations take a cumulative toll on sensitive electronics, such as plasma TVs, computer equipment, microwaves, and smart appliances, causing delicate circuits to malfunction or burn out prematurely.

Whole-house surge protection

Since power surges don’t present a fire hazard, protective devices aren’t required by building codes or homeowner’s insurance carriers. But everyone from the National Fire Protection Association to the Institute for Business and Home Safety recommends them.

The good news is that protection is readily available, and even the top-of-the-line solutions are affordable. The gold standard is a two-tiered system: a whole-house surge protective device, or SPD, installed at the circuit breaker box, and plug-in SPDs on individual outlets.

The circuit-breaker unit runs in the $200 to $300 range and is a simple matter for an electrician to install. Wes Carver, president of Wes Carver Electrical Contractors in Lansdale, Pa., charges $295 for a whole-house surge protector, including installation.

A whole-house SPD can protect against up to 40,000 amps of current flowing into your home from the outside; normal household power is 200 to 300 amps. When a sudden surge occurs, such as from a lightning strike or damage to a power line, the device detects the excess current and safely diverts it through the house’s grounding path.

In certain parts of the country, your power company may offer whole-house surge protection at the electrical meter, either for a one-time charge or billed monthly. Florida Power & Light Electrical Services, for example, charges $9.95 a month for meter-based surge protection that covers major appliances and motor-driven items, such as air conditioning systems. “It can withstand up to 57,000 amps of current,” says Joe Nestor, FP&L Electrical Services product manager for power-quality products. The monthly fee includes an insurance policy that covers up to $5,000 per damaged or destroyed item if the device fails.

Plug-in protection

For the most sensitive electronics, such as computers and home entertainment systems, a second layer of protection is recommended in the form of point-of-use SPDs. You can get them from any electronics retailer. A quality point-of-use SPD starts at about $30 and comes with a warranty to replace damaged equipment if the device fails.

Make sure any device you buy meets these criteria:

* Rated by Underwriters Laboratories. The standard category is 1449.

* Has a clamping voltage of 400 volts or less. That’s the amount of surge that will trigger the device to divert power from your equipment to the electrical ground. The lower the number the better, says John Drengenberg, consumer safety director for Underwriters Laboratories, which tests the devices.

* Absorbs 600 joules of energy or more. Unless you’re an engineer, don’t worry about the definition of joules. Just know that 600 is the minimum.

* Protects all incoming lines. Surges can enter the house through cable and phone lines, too, so if you are using electrical equipment that’s also plugged into a cable or phone jack, such as a fax machine or satellite TV box, make sure the SPD has inputs for all three.

* Has an indicator light. That way you can see at a glance if it has stopped functioning.

No surge-protection device is foolproof; if your house takes a direct hit from lightning, only luck and good karma will keep anything plugged into a power source from being obliterated. But weighed against the damage even everyday power fluctuations can cause, whole-house surge protection is an investment well worth the cost.

Serial remodeler Pat Curry is a former senior editor at BUILDER, the official magazine of the National Association of Home Builders, and a frequent contributor to real estate and home-building publications. 

Read more: http://www.houselogic.com/articles/value-whole-house-surge-protectors/#ixzz1ZMFxSs1s

Another thing to keep in mind is while the initial investment on any solar power upgrade may seem expensive in the long run it is a smart use of money.  Not only will you be saving money on your electric bill but if you decide to sell your home it will be a huge selling point and raise the value of your home tremendously.

A great website to check out is coolerplanet.com it will give you a great idea of what to expect in initial cost of investment and also savings to expect down the road.

Cheers!

Solar hot water is a great option for those who desire to reduce their carbon footprint but can’t afford to go completely solar.  An average 4 person household with an electric water heater is responsible for about 8 tons of CO2 yearly, which is about double that emitted by an average car yearly.    A family of 4 using natural gas or oil hot water would produce roughly 2 tons of CO2 yearly.  (Found in a study by University of Wisconsin’s Solar Energy Lab)  The same family of four using either a natural gas or oil-fired water heater will contribute about 2 tons of CO2 emissions annually in heating their water. 

A Solar Water heater for the home runs about $1500-$3500, whereas conventional systems run $300-$1000.  With the savings in electricity or gas/oil, the solar water heater would pay for itself anytime from 4-8 years.  That may seem like a long time, but factor in that solar water heaters last anywhere from 15-40 years (the same as conventional systems) that means many years of free hot water. 

Right now the government is offering up to 30% tax credit for most solar powered hot water systems.  Check this website to find a list of eligible systems: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=solar_wheat.display_products_html   and remember that you should act now, because this rebate is only good if you purchase the unit before the end of December 2010.

Be sure to research your local laws for the installation of solar water heaters in your community, because some zoning and building codes may apply.  Hiring a qualified person to install your water heater is essential, make sure you see their credentials and get a referral.  A qualified company will be able to help you choose the right system for your household, install it and repair it if problems arise in the future, just like a company that installs conventional systems.  A good place to start your search is the yellow pages for Berkshire County, under Solar Power.

Not only will this bring you and your family peace of mind knowing you are doing your part environmentally, but also it will be a major feature if down the road you want to sell your home.  Environmentally conscious features are becoming more and more a quality that people desire when searching for a home to buy.

Be sure to check back next week when I will discuss solar power water heaters for pools and hot tubs

   Now is the time to invest in that coveted on demand water heater or high efficiency biomass stove to heat your home.  Many energy star models are eligible for a tax credit of 30% and up to$1500.00 on select models .  However you can save 30% (with no cap of maximum dollars) on select geo-thermal heat pumps, solar power systems, and small residential wind turbines.  Essentially you will be paid to upgrade to highly efficient systems, and you will save money in the years to come.  This is your chance to retrofit and get that solar power system or wind turbine you've dreamed, saving money and the environment.

    For those of you who are thinking of selling your home in the future, energy conscious and environmental features are more desirable to potential home buyers in todays market. 

When it comes to gardening it's pretty easy to go "green!"  One thing many gardeners are finding is the amount of water needed to have a beautiful garden leaves them feeling guilty.  But there is a way to keep your plants healthy and well watered without wasting one of our most precious resources.  Harvesting rainwater is not only great for the environment but it will also save you plenty of money with minimal effort.

   You can go from fairly simple, a barrel placed under the down spouts on your house, to fairly elaborate--an irrigation system with pumps and sprays professionally installed.  It all depends on how much you want to spend and how much you want to save.

   I have found many helpful websites on making your own rain water collection system.   But no matter how far you decide to take it, every drop saved counts!  Here are a few links I think will get your started in managing your rainwater and save you some big $$ over those hot summer days. 

www.watershedactivities.com/projects/rainbarl.html

www.aquabarrel.com

www.rain-barrel.net

www.rainharvest.com

www.skyharvester.com

1. Switch light bulbs to energy efficient flourecent or LED bulbs.  Both are great but the LED although might be a bit more expensive at first last longer and are the most eco-friendly light blubs on the market today.  You can find them online for a fraction of what they cost at a store. 

2. Take advantage of the cash for klunkers appliance sales and upgrade your old appliances to energy star models.  The most important one is the refirgerator, switching to an energy star model can save a couple hundred dollars a year in electric bills.

3. Think about a new coat of paint for your interior walls, especailly the kitchen and living room.  There are a number of options out there for eco-friendly paints that dont have toxic fumes.

4.If you own a woodstove consider intsalling a few small fans in your house to help the efficiency.  Just two small fans placed correctly will help you heat your house tremendously.

Homemade carpet freshener:

In a bowl combine the following ingredients: 1 cup dried fragrent herbs (lavender, thyme, rosemary etc.) with 2 tsp ground cloves, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, 4 tsp baking soda.  Whisk well then sprinkle all over carpeted area.  Let herb mixture rest for 1-3 hours then vacuum it up.                                                                                                                         One more tip:  Use an empty, clean parmesan cheese container with the snap on lid and shaker to keep a supply of carpet freshener on hand.

Homemade Air Freshener:

Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to an empty clean spray bottle.  Add 2 parts water to one part white vinegar.  The vinegar neutralizes any unpleasant odors while the essential oil leaves the room smelling nice.                                                                                                       One more tip:  opening a window for a few minuets everyday in the winter and longer in the warmer months will improve air quality greatly.                      

Cheers to your health and wellbeing!

Home prices are one factor in determining your cost of ownership, but so are interest rates and financing availability. Even though interest rates have gone up in the last six months, they are still near historic lows. Since your monthly mortgage payment is a combination of paying down your principal and paying the interest owed, if home prices come down a little further but interest rates go up, it could cost you even more to service a mortgage on an identical home!

While a home is a major investment, it is also the center of your personal life. It's important to live in a home that reflects your taste and values, yet is within your financial "comfort zone." To that end, it may be more important to lock in today's relatively low interest rates and low home prices, rather than to hope for a further break in prices in the future.

Please give me a call if I can be of any assistance in determining how much home you can afford in today's market.