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Lightning can destroy sensitive electronic appliances even if it didn't directly hit your house. Lightning strikes at power lines can send a surge of electricity down the wires and into your appliances. Household appliances running on 220-volt alternating current can handle momentary voltage surges up to 279 volts, but surges beyond that point cause damage. Lightning-induced surges can spike to several hundred volts. You can help protect your devices from lightning strikes by using surge protectors. However, in severe storms, the best protection is to unplug your appliances and disconnect inverters, computers and cable lines.
**Install a plug-in, point-of-use electrical surge protector.** You plug this device into a grounded electrical outlet and plug your appliance into the surge protector. The protector diverts power surges to the ground connection so they don't reach your appliance. Some multi-outlet power strips have a built-in surge protector. Most electrical surge protectors have a light that indicates they are working. If the light goes out, replace the protector.
**Use plug-in surge protectors for cable TV lines**. Lightning-induced voltage surges can travel up cable lines to damage the devices and appliances connected to them. The cable protectors work in the same fashion as electric-line surge protectors by sending surges to an electrical ground.
**Install a service-entrance surge protector to protect your entire house from voltage surges**. Like plug-in protectors, these devices divert excess voltage to ground. Service entrance protectors must be installed by a licensed electrician. They typically go between the electric meter and the main electrical service panel. They protect the home electrical system, including appliances and devices that are hard-wired to the power source rather than plugged in. They can work together with point-of-use protectors to double the level of surge protection.