Are you using surge protection systems in your home or office? At Titan Electrical, we have written about the importance of these devices many times and how they could save you a lot of money by keeping your delicate electronics from going up in smoke. With load shedding in full swing, we want to discuss how vital surge protection is for your devices and why you should look closer at your plug points and insurance cover.
Your insurance and surge protection
While your insurance cover may seem comprehensive, have you read the fine print? Some insurers don’t cover any equipment damage caused by a power surge, while others only cover items installed with a surge protector. Even with the appropriate cover, there are a few extra elements that you should consider: The amount of coverage provided might not be enough to replace all damaged or broken equipment.
For example, some insurance companies offer limited coverage in the event of a power surge. This cover sometimes only pays up to R5,000 worth of equipment, which doesn’t get very far with the price tags of fancy gadgets. In other cases, the devices will be covered, but only under accidental damages cover, and there might be exclusions, depending on your insurance provider.
It can be a tricky situation to navigate, so we recommend contacting your insurance broker with questions about their surge protection cover so that you can have the best cover possible. If your household insurance provider doesn’t cover damage caused by a power surge, at least you can look around for other options.
Load shedding and electrical surges
Load shedding has become a part of our daily routine in South Africa, changing how we live. When load shedding starts and ends, there is a chance of an electrical surge entering your home, which can damage your appliances and equipment. One solution is to unplug everything before load shedding, then plug devices in once power has been restored.
Depending on how many devices you have, this can be an annoying ritual to perform every day, made worse by load shedding, sometimes happening in the middle of the night or while you are at work. Another option is to have surge protection to look after your appliances. A whole-house surge protector installed in your DB board will reduce the damage that a power surge originating outside your house can cause. Many insurance companies require some protection from power surges to be present before they payout for damaged appliances, making this a good two-for-one deal.
While a whole-house surge protection system sounds expensive, it only needs to save your vintage vinyl player or fancy home entertainment system once before you realise how much money, time, and hassle you just saved.
Contact us today for Expert Electrical Service.
