This area of Florida is often called the lightning capitol of the country. While fatalities are rare, the danger is real. The sheer power of lightning should always be respected.

Power surges occur when brief jolts of high electrical voltage travel through your wires. Power surges can be minor or severe, but they are not harmless. Power surges can do damage to appliances and electrical outlets and even spark electrical fires. It is important that Sarasota residents are aware of the risks of power surges, and the precautions you can take to avoid them.

Sarasota electricians

The Danger of Lightning Strikes

A lightning bolt is only an inch in diameter, but it can carry up to 100 million volts. Not only that, but its temperature can reach up to 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit. You might then assume that being struck by lightning has to be fatal.

Surprising Fact: Only 10% of people who suffer a direct lightning strike are killed.  Survivors do experience a wide range of effects which can be dehabilitating and last a lifetime, including dizziness, headaches and sleep dysfunction.

Lightning strikes are unpredictable, and can hit a target as far away as 25 miles from the actual storm. One single South Florida thunderstorm can generate 1,000 strikes in 60 minutes.  If lightning hits in the vicinity of a power line, it can easily result in an electrical spike transmitting millions of volts. Because of its power, your cable box or PC have no chance of surviving the power surge – unless you have taken precautions against that occurring. A power surge from a lightning strike can destroy your appliances, cause electrical fires and for businesses, cause data loss.

Protecting Against Power Surges

An electrical surge is a rapid increase in voltage that can damage or destroy your home’s electrical systems. In addition to nearby lightning strikes, several scenarios can cause a severe power surge.

  • The power switches from one area of the grid to another.
  • Large appliances such as HVAC units and refrigerators turn on or off.
  • Electric utility lines come in contact with one another.

Surges can easily be transmitted  through power and cable TV lines. When there is a surge, unprotected electronics run a high risk of being damaged. If they are not “fried” immediately, damage will build up over time until the component will no longer work properly. So how do you protect yourself?

  • Call a qualified licensed electrician to check your home’s grounding system.
  • Plug all electronics and appliances into point-of-use surge protection devices (SPD).
  • If you know a major storm is on the way, unplug as many devices s you can to protect them completely from being hit.
  • Consider a whole-house surge protection system to absorb larger surges which originate outside your home, such as in severe storms.  The system can be installed next to the electric service panel by a master electrician.
  • For the best protection, ask your electrician about a lightning protection system, which safely deflects a lightning surge into the ground.

Generator Backup

In Sarasota, we are never really sure of what a storm may bring. If lightning strikes and the power goes out, there really is only one sure way to keep the lights and A/C operational. Whether with a portable generator or a standby unit, you can protect your home and family from the unpredictability of nature.

Call Promise Electric for a free consultation regarding which generator is right for you. We are committed to finding the right size unit for your needs and budget – and are certified to both install and maintain the unit for years to come.  You can trust our team to keep the power on, even in the lightning capitol of the country.