Today’s home is filled with electronic equipment. Computers, televisions, stereos, refrigerators, washers, clothes dryers and more – none of this equipment is inexpensive, so you take good care of these items.

But are you protecting your sensitive electronic equipment from power surges? If you do not have surge protection, consider getting it. Today’s electronic equipment and appliances are very sensitive – digital clocks, for example. And remember anything you plug in can be damaged, and in worst case scenarios, destroyed by power surges.

A power surge is a brief, unpredictable increase in voltage that can enter your home through the power, telephone, or cable television lines. They can occur at any time and in any locale.

The first step in power surge protection is proper grounding for a home’s electrical system.

The next step is the use of a surge suppression system to provide an added layer of protection for sensitive electronic equipment.

Remember, the next step involves a whole-house surge suppression system, not just a plug-in power strip.

These inexpensive devices offer minimal protection, still leaving many areas of a home unprotected.

A whole house surge suppression system, like the Southern Iowa Home Surge Protection System, will include a meter socket surge suppressor, a digital dish unit with coaxial cable protection, telephone protection and 8 protected AC outlets, a protected 6 AC and telephone plug in and a single AC plug in cube.

A power surge protection system can protect your home on multiple levels including the two main trouble spots. First where electricity enters a building and second inside a building, where electronic equipment is connected to electricity through the outlets.

The meter-based surge protector protects a building from power surges at the entry point, which is where a building and the equipment within it are most vulnerable. Plug in devices for surge protection inside a building offers secondary protection.

A whole-house surge suppression system also includes coverage for other avenues power surges can use to enter a home such as telephone, cable TV and satellite TV lines.

Lease or purchase

The Southern Iowa Home Surge Protection System can be leased for $5.95 per month or can be purchased for $249.95. A $35 installation fee is required for normal installation. Additional costs may be added if electric service modifications are required to complete the installation.

Don’t wait for a power surge to damage your sensitive electronic equipment. Contact a Cooperative member service specialist for details on the surge protection package. Call 664-2277 or toll free, 1-800-607-2027.

Download the Southern Iowa Home Surge Protection Program PDF (116k)