It’s safe to say that our modern lives are powered by electricity. Electricity gives us light so we can see, heat and cooling to keep us comfortable, power for our devices for entertainment, work, and chores, and so much more. In fact, our lives are becoming more and more dependent on electricity each and every day, and that means the electrical equipment that distributes the power throughout our homes is constantly under greater and greater strain. That’s not necessarily a good thing, either: as electrical equipment ages, resistance increases, generating more heat, reducing efficiency, and increasing the chances of a fault or problem resulting in a fire.
However, because our lives are becoming so much more electricity-reliant, technology has been developed that makes our electrical equipment safer, easier to use, and smarter than ever before. Today’s smart “microgrids” are better for the environment, save you money on your energy costs, and even give you the ability to store electricity for the increasingly-likely event of a long-term power outage. Here are three electrical devices that will significantly improve your electrical system.
Home Battery Backup
Battery backup systems are essentially huge lithium batteries that store power for when you need it. Different people have different needs for their battery backup system—some use it to store excess energy generated by a solar energy system. Others use these systems to store power for the event of an emergency like a short-term power outage. Others use these battery backup systems to eliminate energy consumption during the hours of the day when energy is the most expensive.
There are many different models available on the market today and every model has its pros and cons. Some batteries can be combined, stacked, or blended together to form larger systems that can provide energy in greater capacities, giving you days of backup power that you can count on. Other systems are smaller and purely provide emergency power for only those most important appliances and devices in your home. However, nearly all of these batteries are installed with an inverter that gives you control over when and how the energy in the battery is used, when and how it charges, and even how your home consumes electricity at all points of the day. These inverters are usually Wi-Fi enabled and give you the ability to see this data through an intuitive smartphone app.
Surge Protector
Surge protectors are a crucial piece of electrical safety equipment that far too many homeowners don’t take the time to install for themselves. As our power grid ages and both generation and transmission equipment begins to show signs of aging, the odds of a surge increase tremendously, and California’s power grid is essentially a powder keg waiting to explode by this point. A surge protector carefully monitors the voltage and current flowing into your home and trips when a surge occurs, blowing out and shutting off the power to your home.
While this does usually require a new surge protector to be installed, the truth is it saves you a bundle on other repairs. Surges can destroy nearly any device that’s plugged in when they hit your home—appliances, televisions, data centers, light fixtures, and even your heating and cooling equipment could all suffer irreparable damage in the blink of an eye as a result of a power surge. With a surge protector, your home will remain protected and you’ll prevent these types of damage as well as possible injuries that can come from overheated wires or electrical fires.
Smart Circuit Breakers
Smart circuit breakers revolutionize the circuit breaker, a piece of technology that has existed for decades. With a smart panel, you’ll gain instantaneous control over how your home consumes the energy that flows into it. Using Wi-Fi connectivity, you’ll be able to get a detailed view of how your home is using the energy you consume, spot potential problems that may need fixed, and even shut off compromised or at-risk areas so you can have them professionally repaired before they cause a potential disaster.
Smart circuit breakers are also frequently used when installing a home battery backup system or a solar energy system, as they offer easy and ready compatibility with these types of modern technology. These systems can also adjust how they operate, saving you energy by rerouting power to where it is most needed and away from areas that don’t. during blackouts, smart panels can even prioritize what you need, conserve power, and extend the operation of your battery life or maximize the throughput of a backup generator.
If you have an electrical problem that needs to be fixed, turn to the experts from All Pro Plumbing, Heating, Air Conditioning & Electrical for repairs you can count on. Schedule yours by dialing (909) 500-8193 today.