What is a Surge Protector?

Bill Lutz, an electrician with Generation 3 Electric in Philadelphia, gives the definition of a surge protector:

Surge protectors do more than protect your computer during a lightning storm. Other appliances benefit from surge protection too such as phones and televisions. Even with no noticeable power surge, tiny surges often occur which can wear out your electronics. You won’t realize this has been happening until it is too late. Smaller surges, such as those caused by vacuum cleaners being turned on, can cause damage that builds over time. So, suddenly you will have a corrupted hard drive or your phone does not work.

Invest in a quality surge strip for complete protection: Buy electrician-sold strips rather than less expensive products, which will not offer complete protection against surges. The ones in the stores are rated in Jules and the cheap ones are not usually a great way to protect against actual surges. These cheaper models are more of a fancy outlet splitter than a true surge protector. Turning them off should still cut power to entire strip, but be sure to read the fineprint to see if it is indeed a complete cutoff.