What a Surge Actually Does
A voltage surge is a brief spike above the normal 120V delivered to your home. Even small, repeated surges degrade electronics over time — capacitors and circuit boards wear down. A large surge from a lightning strike or utility switching can destroy appliances instantly.
What's at Risk in a Modern Home
Think about what's connected to your circuits: EV charger ($1,000+), smart TV, refrigerator with electronics, HVAC control boards, computers, smart home hubs. A single surge can take out $10,000+ in equipment.
“We added whole-home surge protection after our neighbor's EV charger was destroyed by a lightning strike. Infinite Electric installed it in under 2 hours. — Roger L., Manassas VA”
Two-Layer Protection
The best approach is a whole-home surge protective device (SPD) at the main panel combined with quality surge-protected power strips at sensitive electronics. The panel SPD handles the big hits; the strip protectors catch smaller surges that make it past the panel.