If you own commercial property in Alexandria, VA, you need to protect your investment from all forms of accidents or damage. This includes being proactive about surge protection. Power surges cause equipment failure to electronics, which can be incredibly costly to replace. They can also damage your electrical outlets, and can even cause fires. To protect your commercial property and the contents inside, here’s what you need to know about commercial surge protection in Alexandria, VA.
Why is grounding important?
As a business owner, you need to be aware of your options for commercial surge protection in Alexandria, VA. One of the most important things you can do to protect your business is investing in a quality surge protection device. These handy components divert high-current surges to the ground, protecting your valuable equipment and your electrical system as a whole. You need a good low-resistance grounding system on your property that has a single reference point to connect all of your building’s systems. It’s helpful to have a skilled electrician make sure your system is grounded to code—it’s your best protection against a potentially damaging power surge.
What causes power surges?
You might think that lightning is the only cause of power surges. While most of the time this is true, there are also some other causes of surges that you should keep in mind. It could be an internal issue, where the equipment you use in your building, from air conditioners to elevators, can expose an electric circuit to large amounts of energy. Smart building owners install quality surge protectors to keep this equipment safe—it’s much cheaper than potentially replacing the equipment if it fails due to a surge.
What do I need to know about installing a surge protection device?
When your electrical technician comes to install your surge protection device, they’ll install it on all systems that could be susceptible to damage from surges. It’s best to install the devices as close as possible to the equipment you want to protect. Your technician will carefully consider cable length, since a short and straight route to the ground helps keep your equipment safe. Each surge protector should be equipped with an indicator to show you that it’s functioning properly.
In addition, you should install a surge protection device on systems you might not think are susceptible to surges. Electrical currents can travel through phone and fax lines, cable or satellite systems and even local area networks. Make sure not to overlook these features as you’re safeguarding your electrical system—it could make a huge difference in preventing costly damage if a surge occurs at your property.
Understanding the basics about commercial surge protection in Alexandria, VA is an important step in safeguarding your investment. An experienced electrician can help you make sure your electrical system is prepared to handle both internal and external causes of surges. Contact the team at Walsh Electric today to keep your electric system in good working order to protect your building and its contents.
