ASL
Modern homes are full of electronics, and not just TVs and computers. Refrigerators, washers, HVAC systems, smart thermostats, EV chargers, LED lighting and garage door openers all contain circuit boards that can be damaged by voltage surges. A whole-home surge protector installed at your electrical panel is the first line of defense for everything in the house. ASL Electric installs whole-home surge protection across Orange County.
Plug-in surge strips protect only what is plugged into them, and many appliances, like your HVAC system, water heater controls and built-in appliances, cannot be plugged into one at all. A panel-mounted surge protective device (SPD) limits surges where they enter your home and protects every circuit. Current electrical code also requires one whenever a home's service equipment is installed or replaced, so we include it with every panel upgrade.
Surge protection services
⚡Panel-mounted surge protection
A Type 1 or Type 2 surge protective device installed at or in your main panel to limit surges entering the home's wiring.
⚡Surge protection with panel upgrades
Installed as part of panel replacements and service upgrades, as required by current code when service equipment is replaced.
⚡Subpanel and outbuilding protection
Additional protection at subpanels serving garages, ADUs, workshops and detached buildings.
⚡Point-of-use recommendations
Advice on quality plug-in protectors for sensitive electronics such as computers, home theaters and network equipment, as a second layer.
⚡Low-voltage line protection
Protection for coax, network and phone lines that can carry surges into equipment.
⚡Commercial surge protection
Surge protection for business panels serving computers, point-of-sale systems, refrigeration and equipment.
Signs your home would benefit from surge protection
Whole-home surge protection is worth considering if:
- You have replaced electronics or appliance boards after an outage
- Lights flicker or dim when large appliances start
- You have an EV charger or heat pump
- Your home has many smart devices and appliances
- Your panel has no surge protective device
- You are upgrading or replacing your panel
- Your home office relies on computers and network gear
- You have expensive built-in appliances
Where surges come from
Large surges can come from utility switching and outside events, but many surges originate inside the home, every time large motors in air conditioners, refrigerators and other appliances cycle on and off. Small, repeated surges wear out electronics over time, while larger ones can destroy them instantly. A whole-home surge protector limits these surges at the panel, reducing the stress on every appliance and device in the house.
How we install whole-home surge protection
Evaluate the panel and grounding
Surge protection depends on good grounding and bonding. We check your panel and grounding system first and correct problems.
Choose the right device
We select a surge protective device rated for your panel and service, with status indicators so you can see that it is working.
Install with short leads
Surge protectors work best with short, direct connections. We mount and wire the device for maximum effectiveness.
Layered protection advice
We recommend point-of-use protection for sensitive electronics as a second layer behind the whole-home device.
Surge protection options
Add to your existing panel
A quick installation when your panel is in good condition.
Include with a panel upgrade
Built into a new panel or service upgrade, as current code requires.
Subpanel protection
Extra protection for garages, ADUs and outbuildings.
Layered protection
Whole-home device plus point-of-use protectors for sensitive equipment.
Whole-home vs plug-in surge protectors
A plug-in surge strip protects only the devices plugged into it, and its protection can wear out over time without any visible sign. It does nothing for hard-wired equipment such as HVAC systems, built-in appliances, lighting or your EV charger.
A whole-home surge protector at the panel protects every circuit by limiting surges where they enter the home's wiring. The best approach is layered: a whole-home device at the panel, plus quality point-of-use protection for sensitive electronics like computers and home theaters.
Surge protection and current electrical code
Recent editions of the National Electrical Code, adopted in California, require a surge protective device for dwelling unit services when the service equipment is installed or replaced. That means panel replacements and service upgrades now include surge protection as standard.
If your panel was installed before this requirement, adding a surge protector is a simple, affordable upgrade that can be done in a short visit.
Good grounding makes surge protection work
A surge protector works by diverting excess voltage to ground. If the home's grounding and bonding are poor, as can happen in older homes or after years of additions, the surge protector cannot do its job well. Checking grounding electrodes, the grounding electrode conductor and bonding to water and gas piping is part of every installation.
We correct grounding problems we find, so the surge protector and the rest of your electrical system are properly protected.
A two-layer approach to surge protection
Whole-home surge protection works best as the first of two layers. The device at the panel handles large surges arriving from the utility side and many internally generated surges. Quality point-of-use surge strips at computers, televisions and home office equipment add a second layer for sensitive electronics, including protection on coaxial and network lines where those enter the equipment.
We install the panel device and can recommend where point-of-use protection makes sense in your home, so your most valuable equipment is covered from both sides.
What affects the cost of surge protection
Cost depends on the type and rating of the surge protective device, your panel's layout and available space, whether grounding corrections are needed, and whether additional protection is installed at subpanels or on low-voltage lines. Adding surge protection during a panel upgrade adds little to the project. We provide a free estimate.
How it works with ASL Electric
We inspect your panel and grounding and confirm the right surge protective device.
You get a clear price before any work begins.
We install the device, verify its status indicator and explain how to check it.
Whole-Home Surge Protection across Orange County
Surge protection makes sense in any Orange County home, but it is especially valuable in newer homes in Ladera Ranch, Rancho Mission Viejo and Irvine's newer villages that are packed with smart devices, EV chargers and high-end appliances, and in older homes in Lake Forest and Mission Viejo where aging panels and large air conditioners create frequent internal surges.
We include surge protection with our panel upgrades, and we add it to existing panels across the county in a single visit. Whether you are served by Southern California Edison or SDG&E, a whole-home surge protector is a small investment that protects everything you have plugged in and wired in.