Why Your Commercial Building Needs a Surge Protector

The electronics on modern commercial equipment can be fragile if things go wrong. Most critical business equipment needs delicate electronic components to work. If you aren’t protecting your equipment from power surges, you are putting your commercial business at risk. There are a whole host of potential sources of surge that could end up costing you thousands of dollars. Tampa, FL, is a place that experiences frequent rainfall and thunderstorms. Your business could be destroyed in only minutes if a thunderstorm damages the grid near your building. That is why you must understand the importance of using a surge protector on your commercial building. It might seem like a needlessly frivolous purchase, but it could save you hundreds of thousands of dollars in the long term. It provides the peace of mind you will feel whenever it starts to rain, and lightning starts to flash.

What Is an Electrical Surge?

An electrical surge is a massive power spike on a single circuit. This power spike will often overload all devices connected to the circuit because most modern devices are made to only work within a certain voltage or current range. Electricity from your wall is AC, but it needs to be converted to DC by the equipment that uses it. The problem is that the equipment that converts AC power to DC typically only has a narrow range where it can work. A transient power spike above this range will likely damage the electric equipment. Modern devices don’t offer protection from surges because building that capability into the device would be costly. On top of that, these devices are made with the reasonable expectation that power surges happen rarely enough that it is not a significant consideration. Device manufacturers also expect you to have surge protection in your building if you value your equipment.

What Can Cause an Electrical Surge?

There are many reasons for power surges, but they are typically associated with weather. Power surges are a significant problem in Tampa because it is one of the rainiest places in the country. On top of that, another source of electrical surges is a power grid failure. This is a major issue because Tampa is susceptible to hurricanes and tornadoes. You never know when your commercial building could have all its electrical equipment destroyed by a power surge due to a lightning strike. Power surges can also happen because of general energy surges or a blown transformer. You never know when these things will happen, and the best thing for your commercial business is to always be prepared for whatever could potentially damage your precious equipment.

Effects of Electrical Surges on Your Commercial HVAC Equipment

Electrical surges have a devastating impact on commercial equipment. In fact, your HVAC equipment is quite vulnerable, so it is crucial to have a surge protector inside your building. The main problem with a power surge is that it can burn up the wires and fuses inside your HVAC equipment. On top of that, it could cause compressor damage to your commercial air conditioning equipment. Depending on the type of equipment inside your commercial building, other damage can occur. The issue with power surges destroying HVAC equipment is that the device can appear to work when you turn them on. The problem is that it would break down later when you think nothing is wrong. That is one of the most important reasons to call experts to evaluate your system to learn if it is safe to operate.

How a Surge Protector Works

Surge protectors are a must-have in your commercial building. Whether you have sensitive computers, medical equipment, or HVAC equipment, you want to protect them from power outages or lightning strikes. Surge protectors do this job by using an oxide varistor to absorb excess current and voltage. Today’s sensitive electronics are easily damaged by even minor fluctuations in voltage. Most commercial equipment is made with sensitive electronic boards that will get damaged if you don’t have a system to protect it from these power spikes. Surge protectors can also use a gas discharge arrester, which stops conductivity above a certain voltage level. It essentially cuts itself off from the electricity when the voltage gets too high.

The other thing to note is that there are multiple types of surge protectors you can install in your commercial building. Point-of-use surge protectors are devices used to protect specific devices plugged into them at the source. These devices are commercial versions of the typical surge protection devices people can buy for their homes. The main downside of these devices is that they can get burned out after a while. They also only protect devices directly plugged into them. The other types of surge protection devices are called whole-building devices. These devices are installed near the main electrical panel for your building, offering complete surge protection for the entire building. These devices will ensure your commercial equipment is not damaged during a powerful lightning strike or power outage. No matter what happens, you can be confident your devices will continue working as they should.

Why You Need a Surge Protector

Most commercial building owners misunderstand how sensitive the equipment inside their electronic devices can be. You would think that a big and bulky system like a commercial air conditioner could easily handle a simple voltage or current fluctuation. However, these devices are some of the most sensitive and fragile because they need to be that way to deliver the precision that commercial users require. Because of that, a surge protector is a significant requirement for a commercial building in the Tampa area.

Since Tampa is one of the rainiest places in the country, it is crucial to ensure your device is protected when lightning strikes. In fact, Tampa is one of the lightning capitals of North America. The electric grid operator spends millions of dollars yearly to repair transformers and other equipment. It only takes one major lightning strike to destroy hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars of commercial equipment you cannot afford to lose. It could be a knockout punch to your business, so having a surge protector is a major benefit. The simple act of plugging all your devices into a capable surge protector could be the difference between a successful business or losing all your equipment to a power surge.

Get Peace of Mind With a Surge Protector

The big thing with a surge protector is that it provides peace of mind when installed. You won’t have that urge to check in on your building when lightning strikes. You can also be confident that power surges won’t be a source of potential fires in your commercial building. Fire is also a major side effect of power surges. A good surge protector means that it is one less thing you must worry about for your building. You also don’t need to deal with the downtime that comes with damaged equipment. Not only will you lose equipment during a power surge, but you also lose productivity. It could also be worse if that equipment is responsible for keeping people alive, like in a hospital setting.

The easiest way to save your commercial building and its valuable equipment is by installing a surge protector. At Home Service Heroes, we specialize in installing surge protectors that can help protect your valuable equipment. Call us to book an appointment in the Tampa area today.