Winter weather in Central Texas can be unpredictable. Strong cold fronts, wind, rain, and occasional ice storms often lead to downed power lines, lightning strikes, and sudden power outages. These conditions create the perfect setup for dangerous power surges that can damage or destroy your home’s most valuable electrical systems.
If you’ve ever asked, “Do I really need whole home surge protection?” the answer is yes, especially if you want to avoid costly repairs, damaged appliances, and lost data. As winter approaches, now is the time to make sure your home is protected.
What causes power surges?
A power surge is a brief spike in voltage that travels through your home’s wiring. Surges can come from both outside and inside your home.
Common causes include:
- Lightning strikes nearby or directly on power lines
- Grid fluctuations from the power company
- Power being restored after an outage
- Large appliances like air conditioners and dryers cycling on and off
Even small, repeated surges can slowly wear out appliances and electronics. The more technology your home uses, the greater the risk.
Lightning rods don’t solve the real problem
Some homeowners assume that installing a lightning rod will protect their home from surge damage. While a lightning rod can redirect a direct strike away from your roof, it does not stop surges that enter through your electrical system, cable lines, or other connected services.
In fact, most damaging surges come from the utility side of the meter, especially when power is suddenly restored after an outage. Lightning rods have no effect on these surges. That’s why whole home surge protection, installed at your main panel, is the most effective solution.
Why grounding matters more than you think
Surge protection is only effective when your electrical system is properly grounded. A surge protector redirects excess voltage to ground, if that path is weak, missing, or incorrectly installed, the surge may still travel into your home.
Our team always checks the integrity of your grounding during installation. This includes inspecting ground rods, conductor size, and connections to your main panel. Without proper grounding, even the best surge protector won’t do its job.
If your home is older or has had previous electrical work done, we strongly recommend a full grounding inspection before installing surge protection. It’s not just about code compliance; it’s about performance and safety.
Why we recommend Eaton whole home surge protectors
At A Team Home Services, we trust Eaton CHSPT2ULTRA surge protectors for their unmatched performance and built-in reliability. These units are designed for residential use and integrate cleanly with Eaton CH panels and many other panel brands.
Key specs include:
- Surge protection up to 108,000 amps (108kA)
- Covers surges from utility lines, transformers, and nearby lightning strikes
- $75,000 limited connected equipment warranty from Eaton
- UL Listed and rated for Type 2 installation (at the panel)
This level of protection helps prevent damage to:
- Refrigerators, ovens, and washers
- HVAC systems and smart thermostats
- TVs, computers, routers, and home offices
- Garage door openers, lighting controls, and smart home devices
If your home already has an Eaton CH panel, installation is fast and efficient. If not, we’ll inspect your current panel and recommend the right surge solution for your setup.
Why surge protection is especially important before winter storms
Storm-related power loss and recovery are some of the most common triggers for damaging surges. After an outage, your utility company restores power to hundreds of homes at once. This sudden return of electricity often comes with a high-voltage spike that enters your home before anything trips.
Without protection, these surges can destroy the circuit boards inside your:
- Heating systems
- Tankless water heaters
- Security systems
- Computers and entertainment centers
The cost of replacing one appliance or HVAC board can exceed the price of an entire whole home surge setup. Installing protection before winter saves money and prevents unexpected downtime during the busiest season of the year.
What happens during installation
Whole home surge protection is installed at your main electrical panel and begins working immediately. Our licensed electricians will:
- Inspect your panel, grounding, and bonding
- Mount the surge device directly to the panel or next to it
- Wire it into the system according to manufacturer guidelines
- Test the system and review how it protects your home
- Provide documentation for warranty coverage
Most installations take under half a day and require no significant disruption to your electrical service.
Final thoughts
Surge protection is one of the smartest electrical upgrades you can make before winter storm season. Plug-in power strips don’t protect your whole system, and lightning rods can’t stop utility-based surges from reaching your panel.
With Eaton’s 108kA protection rating and $75,000 equipment warranty, you’re getting real peace of mind that your home is protected from the most common and destructive surges.
If you’re not sure what your current panel includes, or whether your home has proper grounding, A Team Home Services can help. Our licensed electricians will inspect your system and install a surge protection solution that keeps your electronics, appliances, and comfort systems safe all year long.