Installing smart appliances is an excellent way to add to your overall quality of life. Many of these appliances allow you to control them with your smartphone. You can even sync them with a smart home hub and use voice control access. But as with any expensive electronic, you want to make sure you safeguard your investments with surge protection.
What Are Smart Appliances?
Smart appliances use the latest technological advancements to bring the ultimate convenience to your home. They usually feature Wi-Fi connectivity along with sensors and software that help automate everyday household tasks. You can typically control them with your voice or smartphone, depending on the setup in your house. Their sensors track usage patterns, making it simple to see where you can make adjustments to your energy consumption.
Smart Refrigerators
Smart refrigerators need surge protection because they have multiple electronic control boards in charge of managing the internal temperature and defrost cycles. If these boards go out because of a power surge, all of your stored food may spoil. You also want surge protection in place to keep the Wi-Fi connection and touchscreens working correctly. Moreover, you don’t want to risk compressor damage from a power spike.
Smart Thermostats
The delicate microprocessors in a smart thermostat are very sensitive to power fluctuations. A single power surge can leave you with sweltering hot or freezing cold living spaces if the thermostat becomes unable to communicate with the HVAC properly. When a smart thermostat becomes damaged by a power spike, it’s usually best to just replace the whole thermostat rather than trying to fix it and spending money needlessly on repairs. The best way to avoid this altogether is to have surge protection in place.
Smart Washing Machines and Dryers
Today’s modern washers and dryers that utilize smart technology have computerized control boards that run the smart features, sensors, and digital displays. They need a secure connection at all times to keep the appliances running both efficiently and effectively. Power surges can damage the control boards if you don’t have surge protectors connected.
Smart Dishwashers
A lot of people forget just how important their dishwashers are to their overall quality of life. Smart dishwashers are especially helpful for saving money on utility bills because of their ability to run cycles during off-peak hours. If a power surge were to occur during a severe storm, the main control board on the dishwasher may become severely damaged due to a massive voltage spike. Replacing the control board with a new unit might be possible, or you may have to replace the whole dishwasher. If you have surge protection connected to the smart appliance, you won’t have to worry about its electronics being fried.
Smart Ovens and Ranges
Your smart oven/range needs surge protection too because it has a variety of electronic ignition systems, touch controls, and Wi-Fi modules that are extremely surge-sensitive. Even a minor power surge in your home’s electrical system can disable the digital controls, preventing you from using the appliance. Replacing the control boards can be very expensive. Having surge protection installed will provide you with peace of mind from knowing the appliance is protected against unexpected voltage spikes.
Get Surge Protection for Smart Appliances Today
In most homes, a layered form of surge protection will provide the best defense against damaging power surges. This is why it’s so important to have a skilled electrician help you design a surge protection plan that covers the whole house and all smart appliances. By taking time to ensure your system is properly configured, you’ll sleep much better knowing your appliances have the protection they need to stay safe from electrical spikes. If you live in Houston, TX or a surrounding area and need surge protection services, make your first call to Village Plumbing, Air & Electric.
