Surge Protection

United REMC offers home surge protection to protect consumers’ home appliances, TV, VCR’s, computers, etc., from unexpected surges in power, the most common caused by lightning.

We recommend two-prong protection plan – one using a whole-house device, the other using individual plug-ins on specific appliances.

The whole-house unit attaches to your meter base, and reduces potentially damaging external high-voltage spikes before they enter the home. The unit is leased from United at a cost of $4.95 per month, which is simply added to your monthly statement. There is a one-time installation cost of $29.95.

The second level of protection is provided by plug-in units that are sold by United. Specific electronic devices such as computers and entertainment units are plugged directly into these units for added protection. We have an eight-outlet strip; two wall-mounted outlets; and TV and phone units. Each device carries its own warranty to repair or replace appliances that might be damaged should the device somehow fail.

To learn more about the surge protection program or to enroll, contact the office directly.

Like other electric utilities, United has various SSDs and other protection devices installed throughout its distribution system, but may not provide the fast response time needed by many of today’s electronic devices. Surges can originate both in and outside your home, from such things as faulty wiring, loose connections and poor grounding. Even major appliances with large motors – washers and dryers – can create surges when they switch on and off. Other causes are routine switching on our lines, damage of lines by animals, traffic accidents, and of course lightning.