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If you’ve lived in Minnesota long, you know just how harsh our winter weather can be. But what you might not be aware of is the effect frigid temperatures and winter storms can have on your home’s circuits and wiring. If you’re operating with an outdated or unprotected electrical system, you could face thousands in repair and replacement costs in the event of severe winter weather. How does the cold, blustery winter affect your electricity, and what can you do to protect your home? The experts at Harrison Electric explain below.  

Frigid Temperatures and Electricity

Falling temperatures can have a significant impact on your electrical system due to the effect cold has on electrical resistance. When it’s extremely cold outside, electrical equipment can operate more erratically in response to your home’s increasing power demands. Depending on the state of your existing electrical wiring and circuit breaker panel, your equipment may operate slower or faster than normal as the temperatures drop.

When you combine outdated electrical wiring with aging power plant components, unfortunately, you get power surges or, perhaps worse, electrical outages. To avoid damaging your appliances or blowing your circuits, have a licensed residential electrician inspect your electrical system for signs of wear or damage. Upgrading your wiring before weather-related electrical damage strikes can save you thousands in repair and replacement costs.

Whole-House Surge Protection and Winter Weather

In Minnesota, we know all about winter storm damage. Whipping winds, relentless snowfall, and damaging ice storms generate millions in state-wide damages every year. Unfortunately, many Twin Cities homeowners feel the cost of those winter damages in the form of electrical repairs, but with the appropriate protection in place, that doesn’t have to be your story.

Whole-house surge protection is a valuable tool for protecting your home’s electrical system in the event of a powerful electricity surge caused by winter weather. When whipping winter winds cause downed tree branches and power lines, often, homeowners experience damaging electrical surges and outages. Unfortunately, if you don’t have protection in place, you might find fried circuits, wiring, or damaged electronics when the power returns to normal.

Whole-house surge protection, however, directs excessive electrical current away from your home and toward the ground, where it dissipates without causing damage. Rather than allowing excessive current to overload your circuits and damage your wiring, surge protection maintains the integrity and functionality of your electrical system. Because this type of surge protection integrates into your existing electrical panel, you’ll need to contact a residential electrician to have it installed.

At Harrison Electric, it’s our job to keep your home and family well protected with quality, efficient, residential electrical work. For over 30 years, we’ve been serving homeowners throughout the Twin Cities metro, and we’d love to make you our next highly satisfied client. We specialize in full-service residential electrical installation and pride ourselves on our commitment to quality service and guaranteed workmanship. To learn more about how our electrical services can improve your home’s safety or to schedule your service appointment, give us a call at 763-544-3300, or you can reach out to us on our contact page. If you’re ready to get started, go ahead and fill out this form to request your estimate!