Whole House Surge Protectors: Your Best Defense Against Electrical Disasters

Edited: July 9, 2025

Here in Spokane Valley, we see it all—freak lightning storms, aging home wiring, unreliable power grids, and the growing demand of smart devices plugged into every corner of the house. That’s why I recommend a whole home surge protector installation to nearly every homeowner I visit.

As a Master Electrician with decades of field experience, I’ve seen firsthand how one unexpected surge can fry an entire home’s electronics—and worse, start a fire inside the walls. That’s not scare talk. That’s real risk. And with how easy these systems are to install, the protection they offer is well worth the investment.

Let’s break down what surge protectors do, why they matter here in Eastern Washington, and what to expect if you’re considering one for your home.

What Causes Power Surges in Spokane Area Homes?

Power surges are sudden spikes in voltage that enter your home’s electrical system. A typical U.S. home runs on 120 volts. A surge can send thousands of volts in a fraction of a second.

These spikes can be caused by:

• Lightning strikes, even if they hit a few blocks away
• Power outages and grid switches, common during storm season
• Old or faulty wiring (not uncommon in Spokane’s older homes)
• Large appliances like refrigerators or ACs cycling on and off

Surges don’t just kill your computer or TV. They can destroy ovens, dishwashers, laundry machines—any major appliance plugged into your wall. And since many of those aren’t plugged into GFCIs or power strips, they’re left completely unprotected.

How Does Whole Home Surge Protection Work?

Think of it as a power strip for your entire house—but smarter, stronger, and built into your electrical panel. A whole home surge protector redirects excess voltage safely into the ground before it reaches your outlets, wiring, or devices.

Unlike plug-in strips that only protect what’s plugged into them, a panel-mounted system guards everything:

• Major appliances (washer, dryer, oven)
• HVAC systems
• Home security equipment
• Garage doors
• Outdoor lighting and holiday decor
• Charging stations and outlets across the house

It even helps prevent electrical fires by stopping high-voltage surges from burning through wires hidden in your walls.

Do Whole Home Surge Protectors Work Against Lightning?

Yes—with limits. Nothing can fully protect your home from a direct lightning strike, but a properly installed surge protector can drastically reduce the risk of damage from nearby lightning activity. It acts fast, shunting the extra electricity away before it travels through your home’s electrical system.

In areas like Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, and Greenacres—where our weather can go from blue skies to thunder in a flash—this protection is essential. Especially in homes with upgraded appliances or home office setups.

Why Whole Home Surge Protector Installation Is Worth It

Here’s what I tell homeowners when they ask if it’s worth the price:

• It protects your appliances. A single surge can take out a $3,000 fridge or destroy an HVAC system. The cost to install surge protection? A fraction of that.
• It prevents fires. When a surge burns through wiring behind a wall, you don’t see the damage until it’s too late.
• It may reduce insurance premiums. Some carriers offer discounts for homes with documented surge protection.
• It adds resale value. Buyers love to see modern, protected systems when house hunting.
• It fits any home. Whether you live in a newer build in Spokane Valley or an older ranch-style home in Dishman, we can retrofit surge protection into any electrical panel.

Most important? Peace of mind. You don’t need to second-guess every flicker of the lights or wonder if the next windstorm is going to cost you thousands.

Trust Spokane’s Surge Protection Experts

At Mainstream Electric, Heating, Cooling and Plumbing, we’ve been serving Spokane-area homeowners for over two decades. We take surge protection seriously—because we’ve seen what happens when homes go without it.

We don’t just install and walk away. We assess your full electrical system, make sure your panel is up to code, and install a system that matches the power demands of your household. One call, one appointment, total coverage.

We Are Surge Protection. We Are Mainstream.

If you’ve added more electronics to your home, upgraded your HVAC, or just want peace of mind before the next storm hits, it’s time to consider whole home surge protector installation.

Call Mainstream today to schedule a consultation and find out how easy it is to protect everything you’ve worked so hard to build.