Do I really need a surge protector for my air conditioner?
What’s the point of installing a surge protector on my new AC unit?
There probably aren’t many of us that don’t have our television sets or desktop computers plugged into a surge protector, I even carry a mini surge protector in my laptop bag when I’m traveling because my laptop cost me $1,500, and frankly…I want to protect my investment!
While the thought of protecting our home AC unit with surge protection shouldn’t seem so foreign to us, I find myself explaining why I think it’s a good idea more often than I think I should have to.
For anyone reading our blog for the first time – I own Magic Touch Mechanical in Mesa, AZ. Our services include air conditioning & heating service, maintenance, and installation, as well as home energy improvements. This subject is near and dear to me as I was forced to replace my 10-year old Trane heat pump earlier this year due to a power surge.
The power surge was powerful enough to not only fry my AC’s compressor, it also toasted my NEST thermostat and a fair amount of electrical wiring and components inside my unit.
READ ABOUT MY NEW LENNOX LRP16HP HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION
The irony in my case was not only have I owned a successful HVAC Company for twenty years – I had the surge protector I had planned to install on my own AC unit sitting on my workbench and just hadn’t gotten around to installing it yet!
I guess in the back of my mind I thought to myself, “what are the chances it will happen to me” – which was dumb considering I’ve seen it happen to enough people over the years! You can bet it is now installed on my new Lennox AC unit!
Although a surge protector most likely would’ve saved the old Trane in my case; the main reason to have an AC Surge Protector is to protect your unit and its components from more frequent small surges. These smaller surges do damage over time, weakening components like compressors, motors, relays and wiring – and inevitably taking years off the life of heating and cooling equipment.
What Does AC Surge Protection Actually Protect?
Surge Protectors for AC’s, air handlers, and furnaces are a relatively new product on the market. Although they’ve been in use for some time on larger commercial systems, until recently their high cost made them impractical for residential applications – not so anymore.
As technology advances, so have newer air conditioning and heating systems. Most of which now come equipped with sensitive printed circuit boards and other electronics that have replaced antiquated (but more resilient) components. These parts can also many times be proprietary to the equipment manufacturer and not normal “truck stock”, meaning if one is damaged by a power surge – obtaining a new one for replacement can sometimes mean ordering one. They also tend to be pricey and most likely will not be covered by the manufacturer warranty when damaged by “an act of God” or “fault of the power distribution providing power to the unit” – as taken from one manufacturer’s warranty terms and conditions.
I share this to demonstrate that installing surge protection to protect your cooling and heating system is not only not really up for debate – it’s a no brainer!
For a limited time, Magic Touch Mechanical is offering both new and existing clients a special discount on AC Surge Protectors. Save today and tomorrow with this SPECIAL OFFER!