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Top Whole-House Surge Protectors in Canada
Although it’s not something most of us think about every day, protecting your home from electrical surges is well worth it. Protecting a house from power surges doesn’t just entail unplugging your refrigerator, your stove or any other plugged in electronic device in your house. One other common way to protect your home’s electrical system is to also use surge protectors. In particular, we’ll be going over whole home surge protectors – as the name suggests, these provide whole house surge protection rather than protection for just a single outlet.
Don’t have time to read hundreds of reviews about whole house surge breakers? Not to worry – we’ve gone through reviews from various retailers and trusted review sites in order to bring you the best whole house surge protectors in Canada. Read on below to learn more about these surge protectors.
What to look for in a whole house surge protector
Below are a few of the things you should take into consideration when selecting a whole house surge protector for your home:
Maximum Continuous Operating Voltage – This refers to the amount of voltage that your surge protector will allow through without tripping. Typically, this is between 15-20% of nominal voltage or the voltage provided in your home’s outlets.
Voltage and Surge Protection Ratings – To help put things into perspective, think about lightning and the amount of energy it holds. According to the National Severe Storms Laboratory, lightning can have 100 million to 1 billion volts. Meanwhile, North American homes are equipped with 120 volt power outlets – you definitely don’t want power surges from lightning or other sources to fry your home’s electrical wiring. You’ll find the minimum rating to be around 10kA, but generally, the higher the better.
UL Certification – Surge protection devices that don’t come with UL certification are dubious at best in terms of actually protecting your electrical system from being overloaded and damaged. You can read more about UL certification here.
How we picked the best whole house surge protectors
For this guide, we spent over 10 hours sorting through user reviews of various whole home surge protectors that were available in Canada. In particular, the surge protection rating was one of the most important factors in our selection process since an inadequate rating would mean damages to your property’s electrical system. Otherwise, we also took into account cost, ease of installation and other variables.
The Best Whole House Surge Protectors in Canada
Features
Overall, this Schneider surge protection device is a good pick for most people – it’s compatible with any brand of electrical panel, model, or design so long as they are 100A or 200A. Plus, it has a maximum surge current/surge protection rating of 80,000A, meaning it’ll have a longer service life and be able to suppress high energy surges longer than devices with a lesser protection rating. A warranty of up to 5 years is included with this unit – additionally, when this device no longer works, a light labelled with ‘replace’ will be lit on the front of the unit.
Overall, reviewers found this device easy to install – however, this protector is one of the pricier units out there.
Pros
- High surge protection rating.
- Warranty of up to 5 years.
- Easy to install.
Cons
- Pricier than other surge protection devices.
Schneider HEPD 80C Whole House Surge Protection Device
VIEW ON AMAZONFeatures
If budgeting is a part of your priorities but you don’t want to go without surge protection, this protector is one of the more affordable ones out there. However, compared to other units, this one only has a surge protection rating of 10,000A – still, it can help lessen the impact of power surges and bring them down to more manageable levels. Additionally, it’s small size is a plus in terms of installation.
As with other protectors, this one also has a light indicating when it’s time to replace it.
Overall, reviewers find the installation of this unit to be straightforward and that its protection capabilities are fair for the price.
Pros
- More budget friendly.
- Compact.
- Easy to install.
Cons
- Lower surge protection rating.
Schneider SDSA1175 Square D Whole House Surge Protector
VIEW ON AMAZONFeatures
For those who are looking for the highest surge protection rating available, this whole home surge protector will probably meet your needs at a rating of 108,000A.
It’ll connect to any manufacturer’s load center or breaker box, so there’s no need to worry about the hassle of having to return this unit because it didn’t work for your electrical panel. However, it does require a dedicated 2 pole 50 Amp thermal magnetic breaker, which is an added cost if you don’t already have one.
Overall, reviews seem mixed about the installation process – some found the process simple while others found it to be quite involved, with some individuals even having to hire an electrician to install this unit.
Pros
- Universal.
- High surge protection rating.
Cons
- Requires 2 pole 50 amp thermal magnetic breaker.
- Installation potentially more complicated than other surge protectors.
Features
One thing to note right off the bat for this unit is that it’ll only work for Siemens power panels. Additionally, it has a surge protection rating of 40kA, which is less than some other whole house surge protectors but it is also slightly more budget friendly than other units. On the front of this unit are LED lights that indicate that this unit is still working when they are lit – once the lights are no longer lit, it’s time to replace the unit.
Overall, reviewers liked that it’s possible to directly install this unit into a Siemen’s power panel and that the installation process was short and straightforward. However, one minor cosmetic flaw that reviewers have noticed is that the front panel is slightly crooked for this unit.
Pros
- Easy to install.
- Can be installed right inside a Siemen’s power panel.
Cons
- Can only use for Siemens power panels.
- Potential crooked front panel.
Siemens Whole House Surge Protector QSA2020SPD
VIEW ON AMAZONFrequently Asked Questions
What is a whole house surge protector?
This is a device that filters out unsafe and irregular electrical voltages from impacting your entire home’s electric system.
What is a power surge?
Power surges occur when there is an overwhelming spike of power in your electricity system’s current lasting for a short period of time. One common cause is a lightning strike during a storm affecting your home’s electrical system. A number of different things can cause power surges, such as equipment malfunctioning and lightning discharging.
How does a whole house surge protector work?
A whole house surge protector is installed into your circuit breaker panel and wired to your main breaker. When there’s a spike in electrical voltage, a whole house surge protector will block these irregular voltages and prevent them from negatively impacting your home and appliances.
What’s the average cost of a whole house surge protector?
After comparing various retailer prices such as Home Depot and Lowes, we found that whole house surge protectors can cost anywhere upwards of $100, averaging around at around $120 or so.
Is a whole house surge protector worth it?
Overall, having a whole house surge protector as a part of your home’s surge protection plan is a good idea. According to Desjardin’s Insurance, power surges are responsible for millions of dollars of property damage every year in Canada. Additionally, without surge protection, surges can cause damage over time to anything in your home that’s plugged into the wall.
Does a whole house surge protector require installation?
Whole house surge protectors require installation – there are several guides online such as this one from HomeServe that can help guide you through the process. Alternatively, you can also hire someone to install it for you.
What are the cons of whole house surge protectors?
Generally, whole house surge protectors cost more than traditional surge protectors. Plus, regular surge protectors are easier to use while whole house surge protectors may require paying a 3rd party to install.
Does everyone need a whole house surge protector?
Ultimately, that depends on your household needs and where you live. For example, for people living in areas with extreme weather conditions that can cause power surges, a whole house surge protector may be worth it.
What are the types of surge protectors?
The types of surge protectors are as follows:
- Type 1 Protectors – These are the largest and most durable type of surge protector that provides the most protection from external sources and general protection for internal power surges. A certified electrician needs to disconnect the power in order for this type of protector to be installed.
- Type 2 Protectors – These surge protectors can be installed inside the main breaker panel of your home or somewhere next to it. These can be installed without an electrician, although you should still consult with one if you aren’t confident in your installation abilities.
- Type 3 Protectors – These surge protectors are the most budget friendly and plug right into any outlet in your home. They look similar to power bars and while they can provide extra outlets, they are not the same thing.
