WHOLE-HOUSE SURGE
Type 1 and Type 2 surge protective devices at the service entrance. Catches utility-side surges before they reach equipment downstream.
Keil Electric installs whole-house surge protection across San Diego County and the Austin metro. Type 1 SPDs at the service entrance for utility-side surges, Type 2 SPDs at the panel for downstream protection. Coordinated with utility rules and panel listing.
Same scope on either side. Pick the shop that covers your area and we will route you to the right crew.
Type 1 SPDs install on the line side of the main breaker (between the meter and the service disconnect) and absorb utility-side surges. Type 2 SPDs install on the load side (downstream of the main breaker, in the panel) and protect circuits inside the building. Most installs use Type 2; high-exposure properties (rural, lightning-prone) get both.
Whole-house SPDs at the panel protect every circuit downstream. Point-of-use surge strips at sensitive equipment (computers, AV, networking) catch what gets past the panel-level SPD. The two work together; neither replaces the other.
Modern homes are full of electronics: smart home devices, HVAC controls, GFCI and AFCI breakers, EV chargers, computers, AV equipment. Each one is vulnerable to surge damage from lightning, utility switching, or large motor loads cycling. A whole-house SPD pays itself back the first time it catches a surge.
Lightning strikes (direct and induced). Utility switching events when a transformer is reset or a substation reroutes. Large motor cycling on the same transformer (HVAC, well pumps). Each one creates a transient that an SPD clamps before it reaches your equipment.
Our crew inspects the panel brand, available space, and service entrance to pick the right SPD.
SPD model, installation location (panel vs service entrance), and cost.
SPD installed per manufacturer instructions, with the leads kept short (under 12 inches) for effective clamping.
Confirm the SPD status indicator shows protected, document the install, and brief the customer on when to expect replacement.
Not every job requires a permit. When the local AHJ requires one, we pull it, schedule the inspection, and stay with the job until it passes. No paperwork on you.
Written warranty: 5-year on outlets, fixtures, and EV chargers; 10-year on wire and breakers; lifetime on panelboxes and surge protection. Parts and labor. Transfers with the home.
Surge protective devices have a finite life. After absorbing a major surge they may need replacement. Most modern SPDs have a status indicator that shows when the device is no longer protecting.
Real work from our San Diego and Austin shops. Same standards, same warranty, every job.
For surge protection installation, here's the honest comparison. We'd tell you the same thing if we weren't trying to win the job.
Most surge protection installation calls start when the homeowner is planning ahead: a renovation, an addition, an EV charger, a generator, a panel upgrade, or any project where the existing electrical needs to be sized correctly for the new load. The earlier we walk the property, the cleaner the project sequencing. Bringing us in before the drywall closes saves rework. Bringing us in before the contract is signed with the GC saves scope confusion. We are happy to walk a property at the planning stage even if the install is still months out.
A walk of the property with attention to the panel (age, capacity, available breaker space), conduit accessibility, attic / crawlspace conditions, and the load picture (current loads + planned future loads). For installs that touch the service drop, we factor utility coordination from the start. The estimate we leave with is fixed for the scope as walked. Change orders only happen for genuinely new findings during the work, you hear about them before we proceed.
Surge protection has become standard in modern electrical builds and is one of the highest-impact residential electrical upgrades. The cost is modest, the install is fast, and the equipment downstream gets a meaningful protection boost. We add SPDs by default during panel upgrades and recommend them strongly during any service work.
Yes. Surge strips at the equipment level are point-of-use protection. They are slower to react and have lower clamping capacity than panel-level SPDs. Layered protection (whole-house + point-of-use) is the right strategy.
Cost is the SPD plus install labor. Type 2 panel-mount SPDs are smaller jobs. Type 1 service-entrance SPDs require utility coordination and cost more.
A direct lightning strike to the service drop will overwhelm any SPD. Whole-house surge protection clamps induced surges from nearby strikes and utility-side events, which is the majority of surge events. It improves the odds significantly without being a guarantee.
SPDs have a finite life rated in joules of absorption. Quality SPDs in normal residential service typically last 5-10 years before needing replacement. The status indicator shows when the device is no longer protecting.
No. SPDs sit in parallel with the circuit and only activate during a surge event. Normal current flows around them.
A licensed licensed electrician walks the panel and service, picks the right SPD class for your situation, and writes the install in fixed-price terms.
