A surge protector is a plug-in that you use for your home electronics that protects those electronic devices from power surges and spikes in voltage. A surge protector regulates the voltage that is supplied to your electronics by blocking or shorting to ground the voltage that comes through above the safe amount.

Surge protectors provide a valuable service to your home electronics. Today, most computer chips are denser than they were even only a couple of years ago and are even more sensitive to electricity surges than ever before. People are using more and more home electronics than before as well and each time you turn an electrical device on, you could be creating a transient voltage (power surge). Microprocessors are showing up in every type of electrical device you can think of and they are highly sensitive to power surges. Some examples of home electronics that contain microprocessors include VCRs, DVDs, stereos, televisions, computers, refrigerators, dryers, washers, microwaves, dishwashers and more.

When your home electronics experience a power surge, without a surge protector, the spike in voltage can cause the component's electrical circuits to heat up - a large surge can blow the circuit up on the spot while smaller surges can cause damage that over time will cause the circuit to fail.

There are many causes for power surges and the most commonly thought one is lightning striking a power line. Yes, lightning can cause a power surge however there are more common causes for power surges that you should be aware of. These sources of power spikes often come from large appliances in your home such as refrigerators, air conditioners and furnaces, however smaller appliances such as vacuums and even hair dryers can cause a power spike to occur throughout your home's electrical system. Also, power transformers that are on electrical poles can also cause power surges and spikes in voltage, especially when they are being taxed and a lot of electricity is being used that is fed off of the transformer.

A surge protector will protect your home electronics from these surges, regardless of how powerful they may be. While the big surge is a big deal, the little surges can also create havoc and cause major damages to your electronic devices.

When you are purchasing a surge protector, it's important to at least understand a little of what you are looking for and what you need. See a sale on a $10 power strip surge protector? Will that do the job? Not really. It's better than nothing but only by slightly. These inexpensive surge protectors are really quite unreliable and you never know when they stop protecting your equipment - after one significant power surge, they are useless, yet you'd have no way of knowing, especially if you weren't home when it happened.

When you are shopping for a surge protector for your home electronics, you should look for:

Most people have thousands and thousands of dollars in home electronics - protecting that investment is key and for the sake of $20-100, you can rest assured knowing that your investments in home electronics are safe. One power surge can easily wipe out an entire houseful of home electronics - thousands of dollars of home electronics lost in one big surge that happens in a flash and often without warning. A surge protector for your home electronics is not only a smart thing to have but it is also necessary to protect yourself and your home electronics from catastrophic and complete damage.