Everett is a city defined by its history and its resilience. From the historic charm of the Bayside neighborhood to the post war ranch homes in Lowell and Pinehurst, our local architecture tells a story of growth. However, many of these homes were built during an era when a “heavy electrical load” meant a refrigerator and a few incandescent light bulbs. Today, the average Everett household is packed with sensitive microprocessors in everything from smart washers to high end home theater systems.
When you combine aging electrical infrastructure with the volatile weather patterns of the Pacific Northwest, you create a perfect storm for electrical failure. Professional surge protector installation in Everett is no longer a luxury; it is a fundamental requirement for modern living.
At In-House Electrical Services, we believe that understanding your home’s vulnerability is the first step toward protecting your investment. This guide explores why the unique intersection of Everett’s history and the Puget Sound climate makes high quality surge protection essential.
What is a power surge and why are Everett homes at risk?
A power surge is a transient increase in voltage that significantly exceeds the standard flow of electricity. While many people associate surges with lightning, the reality in Snohomish County is much more nuanced. Lightning is relatively rare here compared to the Midwest, but our windstorms and heavy rains are frequent.
In older Everett neighborhoods like Northwest and Valley View, the electrical grid is often under stress. When a Pacific storm sends a Douglas fir branch onto a power line near Glenwood Park, the resulting fluctuations can send a massive spike of energy through the local transformer and directly into your home. Even if the power does not go out, the “voltage swell” can degrade the insulation on your wiring and “fry” the delicate circuit boards inside your appliances.
Why does the age of my Everett home matter for surge protection?
If your home was built in the 1950s or 1960s, your electrical system likely lacks the robust grounding required by modern National Electrical Code standards. Grounding is the “escape route” for excess electricity. When In-House Electrical Services performs a surge protector installation in Everett, we often find that older homes have degraded grounding rods or copper plumbing that has been interrupted by PVC repairs, breaking the ground path.
Without a solid path to the earth, a surge protector installation in Everett has nowhere to “dump” the excess energy. This means that even a plug-in strip from a big box store will fail to protect your devices because the energy stays trapped within your home’s internal wiring.
Is it true that most surges come from inside my house?
Yes. While the Puget Sound storms get the headlines, approximately 80 percent of power surges are generated internally. This happens when high-draw appliances like a modern heat pump, a sump pump, or a large refrigerator cycle on and off.
In neighborhoods with smaller, 100-amp or 125-amp electrical panels, these internal cycles create “micro-surges.” You might notice your lights flicker for a split second. Over months and years, these thousands of small hits cause “electronic rust,” slowly destroying the capacitors in your computers, LED televisions, and smart home hubs.
What is layered surge protection and why is it necessary?
Layered protection, or a “cascaded” approach, is the industry gold standard. It involves protecting the home at multiple points to ensure that no voltage spike reaches your equipment.
- Type 1 (The Service Entrance): This device is installed at the meter base or between the utility pole and your main disconnect. It protects against massive external spikes from the Snohomish PUD grid.
- Type 2 (The Main Panel): This is the most common form of professional surge protector installation in Everett. In-House Electrical Services installs these directly into your breaker panel. It diverts any surges that make it past the meter or that are generated by your own large appliances.
- Type 3 (Point of Use): These are high quality power strips or wall-mount units used for specific, high value items like your home office setup or kitchen electronics.
By using all three layers, you ensure that even if one layer is overwhelmed, the remaining layers catch the residual “let-through voltage.”
Can I just use power strips instead of professional installation?
A common misconception is that a $20 power strip provides total protection. In reality, these devices have a very high “let-through voltage,” meaning they allow a significant amount of electricity to pass through before they trigger. Furthermore, they have a limited lifespan measured in Joules. Once they have absorbed their limit, they become nothing more than an expensive extension cord with zero protection.
Professional surge protector installation in Everett involves hard-wiring a heavy-duty Surge Protective Device (SPD) into your electrical panel. These units can handle much larger spikes and react in nanoseconds, diverting the energy to the ground before it ever enters your home’s branch circuits.
What should I look for in a surge protection device?
When In-House Electrical Services evaluates a home near Silver Lake or the Port of Everett, we look for devices with specific technical ratings:
- VPR (Voltage Protection Rating): This tells you the maximum voltage the device will allow through to your electronics. Lower is better.
- In (Nominal Discharge Current): This measures the device’s durability and its ability to handle multiple surges over time.
- SCCR (Short Circuit Current Rating): This ensures the device can safely handle the maximum current available from the utility grid.
How does the damp Puget Sound climate affect surge protection?
Everett’s proximity to the salt air of the sound and our high annual rainfall can lead to oxidation and corrosion of electrical components. If your outdoor electrical mast or your grounding electrode system is corroded, your surge protection will be significantly less effective.
During a professional surge protector installation in Everett, In-House Electrical Services technicians inspect your entire grounding system. We ensure that the bond to your water pipe and the connection to your grounding rod are clean and tight. In our wet environment, a secure, corrosion-free connection is the difference between a protected home and a fire hazard.
Will a surge protector save me money on my insurance?
Many homeowners’ insurance providers in Washington State offer discounts or lower premiums for homes that have a “Whole-House Surge Protection” system installed by a licensed electrician. Additionally, many high-quality SPDs come with their own manufacturer warranties that cover connected equipment up to $25,000 or more if the device fails to protect your electronics.
How long does surge protector installation in Everett take?
A standard installation at your electrical panel usually takes between one and two hours. Our team at In-House Electrical Services will perform a brief safety audit of your panel, identify the best location for the SPD, and ensure all connections are torqued to manufacturer specifications. It is a non-invasive process that provides immediate peace of mind.
Why should I choose a local specialist for this work?
Every city has its own quirks. Everett has a mix of very old federal-style homes and brand-new developments near the waterfront. A local specialist understands the specific grounding challenges of our soil and the common configurations of panels found in local housing stock.
In-House Electrical Services has spent years serving the Everett community. We know the difference between a home in the Delta neighborhood and one in Holly, and we tailor our protection strategies to fit the specific needs of your property.
How do I know if my current surge protector is still working?
Most professional-grade panel protectors have LED indicator lights. A green light typically means the device is active and protecting your home. If the light is red or extinguished, the device has likely sacrificed itself to stop a major surge and needs to be replaced. If you use plug-in strips, look for “Protected” or “Grounded” lights. If those lights are off, the strip is no longer providing protection.
Secure Your Everett Home with In-House Electrical Services
The modern Everett home is a hub of technology and comfort, but it is also more vulnerable to electrical instability than ever before. Don’t wait for the next major windstorm or a transformer failure to realize your electronics are at risk. A small investment in professional surge protector installation in Everett today can save you thousands of dollars in appliance repairs and data loss tomorrow.
At In-House Electrical Services, we specialize in bringing older homes up to modern safety standards and ensuring new homes stay protected. Our licensed electricians are experts in the unique electrical landscape of the Puget Sound region.
Contact In-House Electrical Services today to schedule your comprehensive home electrical audit and whole-house surge protection installation. Let us give your home the “layered” defense it deserves against the unpredictable Everett grid. Give In-House Electrical Services a call or visit our website to secure your peace of mind before the next storm hits.