Se-Ma-No Electric Cooperative can help protect your home and property from lightning and other power surges.

 

Although Se-Ma-No Electric has extensive lightning protection built into its distribution system, power surges caused b lightning can enter your home through  power and telephone lines or even TV cable wiring.

 

Your electricity and electrical appliances are so much a part of your life, you hardly think about them - until there's trouble.  Trouble comes in the form of power surges caused by such events as lightning strikes, cars colliding with utility poles, limbs falling on the electrical lines, animal interference, and demand fluctuations within the home.  Any of these occurrences could send uncontrolled electrical surges into your home's wiring and damage the appliances and electronic equipment you depend on.

 

Many power-surge problems in a home can be associated with improper wiring and grounding.  Grounding should adhere to the requirements of manufacturers, local code, and the National Electrical Code (NEC) -- for safety as well as for proper operation of any surge protection system.  Commonly overlooked problems include improperly grounded main disconnects and circuit devices.  NEC recommends that multiple grounds (such as those at telephone and CATV service entrances, satellite poles and dishes, metal well casings, and antenna towers) be bonded together to reference a common ground.

 

The Surge Protection Program involves a two-stage system to protect your home.  Stage One is a Meter Socket Protector at the base of your electric meter.  This device is designed to stop lightning and other surges coming off the electric utility lines from entering your home and damaging your appliances.

 

Stage Two involves the use of Transient Voltage Surge Suppression strips inside your home to protect sensitive electronic equipment.  Various strips are available including those designed to protect your cordless phone and computer modem. 

 

Surge devices all carry a lifetime replacement warranty, including a manufacturer warranty that repairs or replaces damaged equipment if the device has failed. See Sycom Surge Protection Warranty.  Se-Ma-No processes the claims for you. 

 

For more information, contact the Member Services Department Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at (417) 924-3291 or email me at wbogart@semano.com