SMECO designs its electric system to supply the right voltage for your home; however, power lines, internet lines, and television cables can also provide a path for power surges. Surges can be caused by storms, lightning, and auto accidents, and they can damage computers, televisions, and other sensitive electronic equipment.
Home appliances like air conditioners, refrigerators, and washing machines can withstand some voltage surges, but even these heavier appliances can sustain damage. StormSentry can help reduce your exposure to possible surges that could damage your appliances and interrupt your daily routine.
2 Lines of Defense
For approximately 18 cents a day—$5.25 a month plus tax—StormSentry can protect your home with 2 lines of defense against power surges.
1. Meter Base Surge Arrester
This device is installed on your home’s electric meter. It can prevent most high-voltage electrical surges (greater than 250 volts) from even entering the home through the electric meter. SMECO will install the surge arrester and there is no need for you to be home during installation.
The surge arrester blocks power surges that can damage most major appliances,* including:
- Refrigerator/freezer, dishwasher, range/oven
- Washer/dryer
- Central vacuum
- Sump pump
- Humidifier, dehumidifier
- Automatic garage door motors
- Water heater
- Heat pump, central air conditioner, furnace
- Ceiling fan
- Motorized bed
*Pool pumps and submersible well pumps are not protected or covered under this program.
2. Plug-In Surge Protector
When you enroll in the StormSentry program, SMECO will give you a free plug-in surge protector for your sensitive electronic equipment. This device will protect electronics from surges that occur within the home or that travel through other utility connections such as internet lines or TV cables.
This plug-in surge protector can safeguard your most valued electronics, including:
- Computer system, printer
- Television, DVD player, VCR, sound system
- Modem and router
- Medical equipment
- Stereo system
- Microwave
To protect your computer, all equipment must be connected to the surge protector, including your printer, scanner, and modem.
To protect your TV, your DVD player, VCR, speaker system, cable box, and satellite system must also be connected to the surge protector. If you have home internet service, you should also plug your ethernet data cable into the surge protector.
Appliance Coverage
The manufacturer of the plug-in surge protector provides a five-year warranty and extensive product coverage in case the device fails. Any electronic device is covered by the manufacturer’s warranty when it is properly plugged into the surge protector provided by SMECO. Plugging strip surge protectors into the SMECO surge protector voids the warranty.
Coverage for your large appliances begins once SMECO installs the surge arrester on your home’s electric meter base.
You must have homeowner’s or renter’s insurance to be eligible for coverage on appliances protected by the meter base surge arrester. If a meter base surge arrester failure results in appliance damage, SMECO will cover the cost of repair or replacement—up to $10,000. If a covered appliance suffers damage but the surge arrester does not fail, SMECO will cover the cost of repair or replacement up to $500.
Any power surge damage must be verified by an authorized service technician, and all claims must first be filed with your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance company. StormSentry cannot prevent, and SMECO cannot warrant against, momentary interruptions or loss of power.
The modern home contains some very sophisticated electrical equipment: computers, servers, fax/scanner machines, dishwashers, heat pumps, microwaves, entertainment systems—the list goes on. These appliances and home electronics bring an unprecedented level of comfort, convenience, and productivity to today’s home. They also represent a sizable financial investment.
But they are at risk. Your valuable home appliances are connected to the outside world through electric lines, television cable or internet lines. While these connections deliver vital power or data, they can also be an avenue for something very destructive: electrical surges. An electrical surge is a common side effect of our power and data supply. It cannot be controlled or predicted, but it can be stopped before it does damage to the expensive appliances and equipment in your home.
Surges: A Fact of Life
Electrical surges can be caused in many ways, such as:
- Lightning
- Wind storms
- Snow storms
- Falling tree limbs
- Auto accidents
- Underground lines cut by digging
The causes may also be found in the home, including:
- Home appliances cycling on and off
- Faulty wiring
- Improper grounding
- A neighbor using larger electrical equipment
These uncontrollable disturbances cause sharp momentary jumps in voltage that can damage sensitive electronic equipment and appliances.
There are ways to protect the investments in your home from electrical surges. SMECO can help.