Do I need a whole-house surge protector?

You need a whole-house surge protector if you are building a new home or replacing your panel or service in Virginia: local building departments read the 2021 code as requiring one at the service panel. For an existing panel that is staying put, it is a choice, and a sensible one for many homes. Here is how to decide, what it does and does not cover, and how to hire for it.

When the code requires one

Fairfax County's technical bulletin on the 2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code says a surge-protective device is required at the service panel, and that this also applies to replacement service equipment.^[1] Pulaski County's summary puts it as all services supplying one- and two-family dwelling units shall be provided with a surge protective device,^[2] and says that after January 18, 2025, the 2021 code is the one it enforces.^[2] Franklin County's list of changes says service surge protection devices are required for each service panel.^[3]

So if a panel or service replacement is on your list, the surge device comes with it. Our answer on whether you need a permit to replace a panel covers the rest of that job.

If your panel is not being replaced, nothing forces the change. Virginia's maintenance code says no provision of it shall require alterations to existing equipment unless conditions are present which meet the definition of an unsafe structure.^[4]

When it is worth adding anyway

NIST's homeowner guide to surges suggests looking at your own situation before buying anything. The questions it raises are a good checklist.

What is plugged in. Appliances with mechanical controls are generally insensitive to surges, while appliances with electronic controls can be more susceptible to damage.^[5] NIST counts programmable operation, a keypad or a display as signs of electronic control,^[5] so look at your major appliances with that in mind. NIST adds that an appliance that is on all the time is at more risk than one used now and then.^[5]

Everyday surges, not just storms. Leviton says everyday events such as utility work and air conditioners or washers and dryers switching on and off cause small surges inside a home, and that these can shorten the life of equipment over time.^[6]

How the services enter the house. NIST says a detached house where power enters at one end and the telephone or cable TV at the opposite end is the worst arrangement,^[5] and that insurance statistics show video equipment among the most frequent damage claims.^[5]

A well pump. For a pump outside the house, NIST advises a surge protector should also be installed where the power line to the pump leaves the house,^[5] so surges on that line do not enter the house wiring.

Where you live. NIST notes the frequency of lightning strikes varies over the years and with the part of the country you live in.^[5] Your own experience of storms and outages in your neighbourhood counts.

If several of these describe your home, a panel device is a reasonable investment. If you have few electronics and no well pump, good plug-in protectors at the TV and computer may be all you want.

It works with plug-in protectors, not instead of them

NIST says the honest answer to whether a service-entrance protector is enough for the whole house is no for appliances that are also on a phone, cable or satellite line,^[5] because a surge on either system can still damage them. It also says an important function of the service-entrance protector is to divert large surges on the power line before they enter the house.^[5] The practical setup is both: a panel device for the house, and a combined plug-in protector with coax or phone jacks, like the one above, at the television and the computer. Our explainer on how a whole-house surge protector works goes into the difference.

When to call a licensed pro

A whole-house unit is connected at the service equipment. NIST says installing a protector wired upstream of the service panel is a job for a licensed electrician, since the power cannot be turned off on that side,^[5] and a protector fitted at the meter socket is out of the question as a do-it-yourself project and needs the power company's cooperation.^[5] In Virginia, no individual may work as a tradesman unless licensed,^[8] and the building code says a permit is required before work starts on electric wiring.^[9]

When you hire:

• Check the licence. Virginia's Board for Contractors warns that a license number in an advertisement or on a business card does not necessarily mean the contractor's license is valid.^[7] Look it up on DPOR; our guide to checking a contractor's licence shows how.
• Compare like with like. The Board advises to get at least three written bids or estimates using identical plans and specifications.^[7] Ask each electrician to name the device, its type and surge rating, where it will mount, and whether your grounding and bonding need work first.
• Ask about the permit and who pulls it, and about registering any connected equipment warranty.

Our answer on what a whole-house surge protector costs in Virginia lists what a good quote shows.

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