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Whole-house surge protection purports to protect all of your home's electronic equipment and major appliances from a power surge -- due to lightning, for example. But is it really worth considering?
Subscribers to Angie's List (www.angieslist.com) might have wondered that when they recently received a daily-deal alert for whole-house surge protection for $159 (regularly $259). The answer is that it depends on your situation.
People who own many expensive electronic items and appliances might want to look into the protection, which uses a device installed in the house's main electrical panel. Anyone can protect TVs and computers with portable surge protectors at the outlet, but many people don't think about the dishwasher, refrigerator or other electrically powered home aids.
If you've never had a loss due to an electrical surge in your house, you probably don't need whole-house protection, said Chris Zeuli, an estimator at Linner Electric in Stillwater. If you do buy it, be clear about what it does. A panel that protects against lightning won't be effective against smaller surges, Zeuli said. "You'll still need the portable surge protector," he said.
Randy's Electric in Maple Grove, which offered the $159 deal (now expired), said that whole-house protection usually comes with a limited warranty but that buyers should verify what it covers. The electric panel usually has a lifetime warranty.
As with any service, prices vary among providers. Linner charges about $400 for the panel and labor. Zeuli said the company installs the protectors mostly in areas more susceptible to lightning strikes -- houses on hills and new construction in sparse neighborhoods.
If you have problems with surges not caused by lightning, check with your electric company. It can put a monitor on the meter to find out what's causing the surges.
More on free TVAnyone can get about 25 free TV channels with an antenna (including high-definition), but premium and standard cable stations are not available. One local installer has an alternative -- free-to-air satellite channels. The satellite system gets about 200 stations, mostly from Europe. It's another way to watch hockey, college sports, overseas soccer and live news feeds, all without a monthly cost. But there is the initial $190 fee for a 30-inch satellite dish and $110 for installation. (You'll still need an antenna to get local channels.) If interested, call Pete at PSB Satellite (651-768-9150, www.psbsatellite.com). For a list of some of the channels received, go to www.startribune.com/a292.
John Ewoldt • 612-673-7633 or jewoldt@startribune.com. If you spot a deal, share it at www.startribune.com/dealspotter.
