Do you protect your electronic equipment from voltage spikes?

Power surges (also referred to as glitches, transients and spikes) are a major cause of data loss and electronic failures. Additionally, they can cause damage, significantly reducing your devices’ lifespan. Causes include lightning strikes, faulty internal wiring and transference of electrical loads. Areas served by overhead power lines are particularly vulnerable to power surges and brownouts.

In order to protect your desktop computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone from power surges it is recommended that instead of plugging them directly into a wall socket a surge protector should be used to absorb any excess voltage. In addition,  it is recommended that desktop computers use a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) which not only helps protect from power surges but also keeps the computer running in the event of a short power cut and thus minimizes the risk of improper shutdowns and loss of data.

How old is your surge protector? It is vital to replace a surge protector every 3 to 4 years as they become worn by the process of absorbing excess voltages.