Why You Need an Electrical Inspection After a Severe Summer Storm
It is no secret that thunderstorms are more common during the summer than in any other season. Although having your home or business hit by lightning is uncommon, lightning can be extremely dangerous to people and property. Did you know that the air within a lightning channel can reach 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit, which is approximately five times hotter than the sun’s surface? Certainly, lightning has significant potential for danger. At Plugged In Electrical, we want to help you stay calm and safe throughout the summer storm season.
Proactive Steps
- Install a Whole House Surge Protector–Whether you are protecting your home or business, surge protection can help minimize damage to your home and electrical devices in the event that lightning strikes. Surge protectors are proven to be effective. If a surge protector detects excessive electrical current flowing through it, it will divert the extra electricity to the grounding wire. While plugging your electronics into a stand-alone surge protector is better than nothing, a complete whole-house surge protection system will provide more thorough protection. At Plugged In Electric, we also offer surge protection systems to protect your cable lines. Our technicians can help outfit your home or business with surge protection, so you can rest easy regardless of the forecast.
- Consider Adding a Lightning Proof Device–Lightning prevention methods have advanced since the lightning rod. Although a lightning proof device cannot prevent lightning, the device will divert the lightning bolt to the ground instead of frying your internal electronics and wiring.
- Unplug your Electronics When Possible During Severe Storms–Any electronics or appliances that are not necessary should be unplugged during a severe thunderstorm. Unplugged devices will not be at risk for electrical damage by lightning.
- Keep your Data Backed Up–If your electronics are compromised, you could lose important data. We recommend making sure you have a stormproof backup of all of your data to avoid hassles for yourself or your business.
When a storm occurs, stay calm and evaluate the situation to see if calling in the professionals is necessary. If lightning hits your home or business and you smell smoke, evacuate as quickly as possible. If the storm has simply knocked out your power, you are not in any immediate danger. Sometimes, the excess energy produced can cause your breakers to flip, so check your breaker box. A flipped breaker may not be an emergency, but it can be an indicator of surge damage to your electrical system. If flipping the breaker back on does not restore power, there may be other factors at play (such as a down wire or damage to your electrical circuits). Electrical DIY diagnosis and repairs are not recommended. Working on your own electrical components is dangerous in normal circumstances, but far riskier after a storm. It is wise to be alert to signs of electrical trouble, but it is best to leave the actual inspection and work to the professionals.
Why You Need an Electrical Inspection
After a severe storm, your home or business could have damage or power inconsistencies. Our team can ensure that your electrical components are functioning properly and pose no risk to your family or business. During our inspection, we will look for evidence of inconsistent power flow. Inconsistent power flow can occur when the circuits have been interrupted. Thunderstorms can also cause power surges in a business’ grid, knocking out the power and damaging the circuits, even if the closest lightning strike was several miles away. Storms can cause a buildup of electrical charge in the electrical system in your home or business. This issue can be especially unfortunate because the electrical charge is “unseen” and can create problems that go unnoticed until serious damage occurs. Even if your electricity is turned back on at the breaker box easily, the voltage spike can generate heat that overloads the electrical components in your home or business. Preventing damage altogether from a storm is not always possible, but minimizing the damage to your system and danger to your family or business is wise. An electrical inspection after a severe storm will ensure that your system is working properly and that your home or business is safe.
When the summer storms hit, give Plugged In Electrical a call. We are standing by to keep your home or business safe with professional electrical inspections!