Although a lot of people know what surge protection is, some people don't have the slightest clue. This article will explain what surge protection is and help you understand why it's important.

What Exactly Is Surge Protection?

Surge protection is what protects your electronic devices and appliances from spikes in electrical voltage. A surge protector will basically limit the amount of electric voltage that is allowed to reach the electronic device or appliance by blocking or grounding unwanted voltages.

Different Types of Surge Protectors

Surge protectors come in two different forms. You are probably pretty familiar with a power strip surge protector, but there is another popular type of surge protector that is designed for your circuit breaker panel. When selecting a surge protector, make sure that you chose a higher level of joules. This is because you have more protection as you enter the higher numbers of joules.

Benefits of Surge Protection

When it come to surge protection, there are an abundance of benefits, including the following:

Additional Outlets – First off, if you use a power strip surge protector, you are provided with a number of additional outlets that you can use to plug in more devices and/or appliances into a single outlet. Saves Energy – Also with the power strip, you can save on energy usage. This is because there is an on/off switch on the power strip that allows you to switch off all plugged-in devices so that they are pulling electricity when they are not being used. Protects Devices – If there is a major storm in the area, then a surge protector (for the circuit or the power strip type) can help keep plugged-in devices and appliances from shorting out should there be an excessive amount of voltage being transmitted or a power surge, such as from a lightning strike. Increased Warranties – As a general rule, if you have your electronic items plugged into a surge protector and they are damaged despite the protection that the surge protector should have offered, your device or appliance will typically be replaced.

Having an electrical problem is never going to be a good time. We rely on electricity for nearly everything, and so it’s quite understandable that you’re looking for service in a hurry. But before you go rushing in, the experts at Hoffman Electrical have some things to say. Getting a cost-effective electrician is great, but there’s a fine line between cost-effective and cheap!

Many people in the Alpharetta area have barns without pole barn lighting. It is still fairly common to see pole barns with no artificial lighting or traditional sodium lights installed. Both options can lead to unsafe situations.

Pole barns have many dark nooks and crannies and often have sharp objects stored in them. Sharp objects plus dark areas is a recipe for injury. To prevent potentially dangerous conditions, you should have a lighting system installed. It is especially important to get these lights installed before winter, as the days are shorter and nights are longer. The pole barn will be left through those long nights without natural or artificial lighting unless you have an electrician install illumination now.

Here are the options:

● Fluorescent Lights. Fluorescent lights are a good option for a relatively small space, especially if the ceilings are low. Fluorescent lights are cheap to buy and run. They are also fairly energy efficient, which means your electrical bill will be lower.

● Halide Lights. While fluorescent lights have long been popular for many residential and commercial applications, halide lights are relatively new. They have been around a few years but are not as common as fluorescent lights due to their more specialized nature. Though halide lights are stronger than fluorescent lights, they do have a few drawbacks. They are more expensive to buy and operate, and they take a while to reach full power after being turned on. Nonetheless, they’re likely the best option for large pole barns because of their power.

As a Dallas Electrician with over 27 years of experience, ElectricMan Inc. has seen many of the dangers of DIY Electrical first hand, and has often been called in to make repairs after a DIY home improvement project has gone wrong, or the home owner realized that they were in over their head. The experience to take on any electrical home improvement project is something that is obtained by years of professional training and experience under a Licensed Master Electrician. That kind of experience isn’t something that the average Do-It-Yourselfer has, even if you do consider yourself a Jack-Of-All Trades.

One of the biggest dangers of DIY Electrical work is simply the fact that electricity can be deadly when not handled properly. Many DIY home improvement projects are often done in a hurry, and without proper planning. Something as simple as forgetting to switch off the breaker, using the wrong tools for the job, or even accidentally brushing up against the wrong wire can send high voltage coursing through a human body, easily causing burns, ventricular fibrillation (uncontrolled movement of the heart muscles), and death. We are so accustomed to being able to flip a switch and use electricity in our daily life that we often forgot how powerful it truly is.

One of the major causes for DIY Electrical accidents is unfamiliarity with the electrical circuits in your home. Due to shoddy electrical workmanship in many older homes, it is often difficult to tell which outlets, appliances, and lighting fixtures are on a given circuit, especially if your breaker box was improperly labeled, or if the labeling has faded over time. Most home owners will simply switch off breakers until they see the lights turn off in the area that they will be working, and assume it is safe to start working. This is an incredibly dangerous practice since it is not always the case that all outlets and lighting fixtures in an area will be on the same circuit. A Licensed Dallas Electrician will be familiar with standard wiring practices and will know the proper way to test the circuit that they will be working on to ensure that it is safe.

Another huge benefit to using a licensed electrician for your home electrical work is that they will be well versed in all of the building and safety codes required to make sure the job is done right. The reason that this is important is two-fold. First, it is legally required to adhere to all building and safety codes, and if you ever intend on selling your home or having it inspected for any other reason, a DIY Electrical repair or addition will cause your home to fail inspection if building and safety codes are not followed to the letter, generally costing you more money later down the line to have an improperly performed job repaired. Secondly, and even more important, is the fact that building and safety codes are put in place for a reason. If you are not familiar with these codes or do not follow them, you are putting yourself and your family at risk of electrical shock, electrical fires, and injury or death due to a faulty repair.

A reliable Licensed Dallas Electrician such as ElectricMan Inc. will ensure that any home improvement project involving electricity in your home is completed correctly, in compliance with all of the proper safety and building codes, and will guarantee their work to ensure a successful outcome, and the safety of you and your family. If you would like to learn more about the capabilities and experience of ElectricMan Inc. or discuss a project or repair that you are planning for your home, reach out to us today by phone at 972-792-7270, or visit us at our website at www.electricmaninc.com!