Where Do Electric Surges Come From?
The most common surge of electric power is a lightning strike. A surge can start with a bolt of lightning striking a building or an area close to it. The current then travels into the building through pipes or lines of many types. When it gets to a place where it can head for ground, like a computer, TV or phone, it grounds and blows the unit up. In many instances, the unit catches fire or transfers the power to something near it, like the equipment user. Interestingly enough, a more likely source of an electric surge in the home is a stray electric charge. These stray charges may be due to a general power surge, a tree branch falling on a power or phone line, or the turning on or off of appliances like a refrigerator.
