The Pacific Northwest is no stranger to rain-soaked winters and unpredictable windstorms. While the fruit of the rainy climate’s labor gives us lush green landscapes and a skyline full of trees, the same climate conditions often make homes vulnerable to an overlooked hazard – power surges.
Lightning, strong winds and even our own household appliances can all trigger sudden spikes in voltage and can silently wreak havoc on the home’s electrical systems and other valuable electronics. It’s more imperative now to safeguard your home from power surges, especially during storm season.
Why Should We Focus on Prevention?
Prevention can help protect your home and keep you prepared during stormy weather or unpredictable rain showers, which are quite frequent in the PNW.
- Power Surges are Dangerous
Power surges can occur when the flow of electricity is briefly interrupted and then resumes, sending a spike of voltage through your home’s electrical wiring. While most people may associate surges with lightning strikes, most surge damage comes from our appliances!
PR Newswire states that an estimated 60-80% of household power surges originate inside the home and are caused by everyday appliances, such as refrigerators, HVAC systems, or washing machines.
While the low-level surges don’t trip breakers of blow fuses, over time they can degrade your appliances and shorten their lifespan. In this case, you may only notice once it’s too late and you’ll have to replace them earlier than you planned for, costing you money you might not have budgeted for the year.
- The Pacific Northwest is Most at RIsk
With the PNW’s rainy climate, this creates the ideal condition for power disruptions. Climate Central found that about 80% of major U.S. power outages (2000–2023 data) were caused by weather events like wind, rain, ice, or snow. During the same period, the Northwest alone experienced 73 major weather-related outages, indicating that residents in the region face an increased risk of storm-induced electrical issues.
Something to keep in mind – storms aren’t just a nuisance, they can be destructive to power systems as well. With trees falling on power lines or lightning strikes nearby infrastructure, this surge that results can travel through utility lines directly into your home and fry circuit boards, melt wiring and even cause deadly fires.
- Lightning Strikes are Costly
Lightning strikes can be rare, but on the chance that it happens. It can be a serious threat. The Insurance Information Institute reported that lightning-related homeowners insurance claims in 2024 totaled about $1.04 billion nationwide, representing about 55,537 claims, with the average cost per lightning-related claim being $18,641.
Additionally, half of those lightning-related claims were linked to ground surges (a surge entering through the ground of utility lines after a nearby strike). Since lightning doesn’t have to hit your home directly to cause destruction, distant strikes can send voltage through underground wiring or even phone and cable lines and can damage anything that is plugged into your home at that time.
- Frequent Surges Add Up
You may not know this, but even without clouds in the sky, your home still experiences electrical fluctuations. DTE Energy, as reported by Popular Mechanics, estimates that the average home experiences up to 150 small power surges per month. These surges, albeit minor, can weaken sensitive components inside your electronics because of their cumulative effect.
Over time, this steady wear can lead to device failures – like a microwave dying prematurely. While the low-level surges don’t leave obvious signs, homeowners don’t realize their devices are being slowly damaged unless it’s too late.
On top of all this, surge protectors wear out, and Liberty Mutual advises homeowners to replace surge protectors every 3-5 years or even sooner if you live in storm-prone areas. While an old surge protector might look fine, it could have lost its protective capability after years of absorbing small surges.
Note: Ordinary Power Strips aren’t Enough
Homeowners are often unassuming when it comes to power strips. Many people think that their devices are protected because they’re plugged into a power strip. However, the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) warns that only dedicated surge-protective devices (SPDs) can actually stop surges. Ordinary power strips or circuit breakers don’t provide the surge protection your home may need.
To be extra cautious, look for surge protectors labeled with a UL 1449 rating, which certifies that they have been independently tested for safety and effectiveness.
Protecting Your Home During a Storm – 4 Precautions to Take
- Unplug sensitive electronics
During major storms, it is advised to unplug appliances and devices like computers and TV’s. This should be done particularly before power restoration. When the power returns after an outage, the sudden surge can damage any connected electronics.
- Point-of-Use Surge Protectors
Plug-in protectors offer added security for your high-value electronics such as gaming consoles, PCs or home theatre equipment. You definitely want to protect these to avoid replacing them prematurely.
- Insurance
Make sure you are up to date with your insurance coverage and you know everything you are being covered for. Lightning and surge damage may be covered under homeowners’ insurance, but only if it is properly documented. Make sure to take photos of your setup and keep receipts for any protective devices installed.
- Inspection
After every major event, you want to schedule a licensed electrician to inspect your wiring and confirm that all your surge protection systems are still functioning. This is especially important if your home experiences a strong surge or damage from a storm.
Four Surge Safety Habits to Practice
In order to protect your home and the electronics and appliances in it, you need to protect it from surges over time. Here are some steps to consider.
- Schedule Periodic Inspections: Your whole house SPD and the grounding systems should be in good shape and this should be checked on regularly.
- Replace Aging Surge Protectors Regularly: As mentioned, replace your surge protectors every 3-5 years, or after every surge event.
- Invest in a Quality SPD System: Choose surge protectors with indicator lights so you’ll be notified when the protection has expired.
- Upgrade your Grounding: Make sure you have a solid electrical ground for your SPD to function properly. Your electrician can test and improve this when needed.
Protection is Key to Safety
As you recognize the importance of surge defence, you should take proper measures to keep your home safe. Upgrade your systems to match new standards and keep up with your SPDs to ensure safety and protection. Since storms and power fluctuations are the norm in the PNW, surge protection is a necessity.
By being proactive like installing a whole-house surge protector and using quality plug-in devices, you can dramatically reduce your risk.
