As advanced electrical equipment becomes more common in homes, it becomes more and more important to provide adequate protection from damage caused by electrical surges.

Surges can happen in a variety of ways. They can originate within homes or they can be the result of lightning. Either way, they can cause equipment malfunction or, in the case of severe lightning, catastrophic damage. In fact, according to the National Safety Institute, lightning accounts for over $2 billion in damage every year. This figure will get even bigger as the use of surge-sensitive equipment such as computers continues to grow.

Here are a few things you may not know about electrical surges: • The typical home experiences hundreds of electrical spikes and surges each year. • Over 80% of power surges originate from within the home from appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, lighting dimmers and power tools. • More than 2,000 thunderstorms are in progress at any given time around the globe, resulting in over 100 lightning strikes per second. • Lightning does not have to strike an object to cause damage. Often, cloud-to-cloud strikes can produce enormous magnetic fields that induce surges. • Most people use a $9-$20 power strip to protect a $500 - $4,000 piece of electrical equipment.

While there is no product that can provide 100% protection against electrical surges, Standard Electric now offers a complete line of products that will allow you to implement a two-stage approach, as recommended by the Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineers (IEEE).

The first stage is called "whole house surge suppression." This can be accomplished by using a variety of products, including Cutler-Hammer®'s revolutionary Clipper Home Surge Protector™ (CHSP). This system provides protection for electrical service, a cable line and two telephone lines in one convenient unit that connects directly to a load center. The second stage, "point-of-use protection," involves the use of high-quality surge strips.

Collectively, these products divert surges as they enter a home - and then deflect the remaining energy before it reaches the equipment or appliance. In the end, the electrical equipment is guarded by the most comprehensive systems available.

For more information on Standard Electric's outstanding surge suppression products, visit a Standard Electric counter or contact your Standard Electric representative.