Are surge protection
power bars enough?
Why Power Strips Can’t Fully Protect Your Calgary Home
The Short Answer: No, Power Bars Aren’t Enough
Surge protection power bars provide limited protection for the devices plugged into them—but they
leave the rest of your home completely unprotected. Your furnace, air conditioner, refrigerator, garage
door opener, and every hardwired appliance has zero protection from a power bar.
For complete protection, you need whole-home surge protection installed at your electrical panel.
Read our Complete Guide to Whole Home Surge Protection
What Power Bar Surge Protectors Actually Do
Power bars with surge protection (not all power bars have this—check for a joule rating) work by
absorbing excess voltage and preventing it from reaching the devices plugged into them.
Power Bar Limitations:
What Power Bars CAN’T Protect
These items plug directly into your electrical system—no power bar possible:
• Furnace — control board replacement: $300 – $800
• Air conditioner — compressor/controls: $500 – $2,000+
• Refrigerator — control board: $200 – $500
• Garage door opener — $200 – $500
• Dishwasher, washer, dryer — electronic controls
• Hot water tank — electronic controls
• EV charger — $500 – $1,500
• Hardwired smoke detectors
• Built-in microwaves
A single surge can damage multiple appliances simultaneously. We’ve seen Calgary homeowners lose
$19,000+ in a single surge event—furnace, stove, TVs, and computer all destroyed at once.
Where do Surges Come From?
Many people think surges only come from lightning. In reality:
External surges (20-40%):
• Lightning strikes (nearby, not direct)
• Downed power lines
• Utility company switching
• Transformer issues
Internal surges (60-80%):
• AC compressor cycling on/off
• Refrigerator compressor
• Furnace blower motor
• Garage door opener
• Power tools
Every time your air conditioner kicks on, it creates a small surge. These accumulate over time, silently
degrading your electronics and shortening their lifespan—even if they don’t fail immediately.
The Right Approach: Layered Protection
The best surge protection strategy combines both:
Layer 1: Whole-Home Surge Protector (At the Panel)
We install the Eaton CHSPT2ULTRA directly at your electrical panel. It protects everything connected
to your home’s electrical system—including hardwired appliances that power bars can’t reach.
Key specs:
• 108 kA surge capacity
• $70,000 connected equipment warranty (when installed by certified electrician)
• NEMA 4 rated (indoor/outdoor)
• Protects your entire home
Investment: $700+ installed
Watch how it works: Whole Home Surge Protection Video
Layer 2: Point-of-Use Power Bars (For Sensitive Electronics)
For your most valuable electronics—computers, home theater, gaming systems—add quality surge
protector power bars as a secondary layer. The whole-home device handles major surges; the power
bars clean up residual surges.
What to look for in a power bar:
• Joule rating of 1,000+ (higher is better)
• Clamping voltage of 400V or less
• UL 1449 listed
• Indicator light showing protection is active
Signs Your Electronics Have Experienced Surge Damage
• Device clock or lights flashing
• Device won’t turn on
• Burnt or acrid smell near device or outlet
• Erratic device behavior
• Premature device failure
Small surges cause cumulative damage over time. Your TV might work fine today but fail years earlier
than it should because of repeated small surges.
The Bottom Line
Power bar surge protectors are a useful secondary layer, but they can’t protect your whole home.
For complete protection, you need whole-home surge protection at your electrical panel—where it can
protect everything, including the appliances and systems you can’t plug into a power bar.
Read Our Complete Guide to Whole Home Surge Protection
Protect Your Entire Home
The Eaton CHSPT2ULTRA whole-home surge protector costs about $700 installed and protects
$25,000+ worth of electronics and appliances—with a $70,000 warranty backing you up.
Get your in-home assessment for only $74
Call: (587) 315-1361
Book Online: Schedule Your Assessment
Download: Ultimate Guide to Surge Protection
24/7 Electric™ installs Eaton whole-home surge protection throughout Calgary. Our certified
electricians ensure proper installation, activating your full $70,000 connected equipment warranty.
Related Articles:
• Complete Guide to Whole Home Surge Protection
• Electrical Panel Upgrades
• Calgary’s Energy Crisis: Is Your Panel Ready?
Save Thousands with our Ultimate Guide to Surge Protection
Types of Surge Protection
Leading causes of power surges are tripped circuit breakers, faulty wiring, downed power lines, and problems with the utility company’s lines. If the problem lies within your electrical system, you will need a certified electrician to review it. Here are 4 ways to protect your electronics and appliances from costly surges:
- Primary Surge Protectors – A whole-home system found at the entry of the power source
- Secondary Type Surge Protector – Typically located at the wall outlet.
- Power Strip Surge Protector – A power bar with a surge protection
- Uninterrupted Power Supply Surge Protectors
Call For a Quote:
(587) 315-1361
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When is it time to change your Electrical Panel?
It's a question that no one likes to ask, but we all think about it from time to time. Is it time for me to replace my electrical panel? No one knows the answer better than a certified electrician! There are a few signs that might indicate your electrical panel is on its last leg and needs replaced.
Why are my lights flickering?
We often get calls from customers asking why their lights are flickering. This can be normal because of inclement weather or can be caused by a breakdown in your electrical system.
Why have I lost power in part of my home?
Common power loss issues come from tripped breakers, overloaded circuits or tripped GFCI circuits.
Is Aluminum Wiring dangerous?
If your home was built between the 1960s and early 1970s, it is likely your home has aluminum wiring throughout its branch circuits. Homes built after the mid-1970s were built using copper wiring.
But is it safe?
Why do I need an electrician?
Coming Soon...
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The team was professional, punctual, and completed the work to a high standard. They were honest, efficient, and left everything clean when the job was finished.
It's a huge relief to have a company I can trust when I can't be there in person. They truly made my life easier, and I highly recommend 24/7 Electric to anyone—especially fellow out-of-town property owners. I'll definitely be using them again!
We will use this company again for alllof our electrical needs.
Their team was professional, knowledgeable, and easy to work with throughout the entire process. A few unexpected scope changes came up that were outside of everyone’s control, but they adapted quickly, communicated clearly, and remained solution-focused from start to finish. What we appreciated most was that they still honored their original estimate despite the added complexity.
The quality of the installation and attention to detail were outstanding, and it was clear they take pride in doing the job properly. It’s refreshing to work with electricians who are reliable, fair, and committed to customer satisfaction. We would gladly use them again and highly recommend them to anyone needing electrical work or service upgrades.
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243 Autumn Circle SE T3M0J9
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