Protect your HVAC, appliances, electronics & smart home from damaging power surges
Most Altoona, IA homeowners think a power strip protects their electronics. It doesn't. Not really. Not against the kind of surge that actually does damage.
The strips you buy at the hardware store handle small voltage spikes — the kind that come and go without anyone noticing. The ones that destroy refrigerators, HVAC control boards, garage door openers, smart thermostats, televisions, and gaming consoles are not those. They're transients that originate from the utility line itself, lightning strikes nearby, or large appliances cycling within your own home.
A whole-house surge protector lives at your service panel and absorbs those transients before they reach a single device. It's not optional protection. For most modern homes in Altoona, it's overdue.
Union Electrical Service installs whole-house surge protection across Altoona, IA. Done right, the install is a few hours of work and decades of protection.
A list of what a surge can ruin in a typical Altoona home:
The estimated replacement cost across the home routinely exceeds the cost of a whole-house surge protector by ten to fifty times.
Type 1 and Type 2 protectors mounted at the main service panel. Includes grounding verification and post-install testing.
Retrofit surge protection into existing panels or coordinate with panel upgrades when needed.
Hardwired protection for sensitive electronics and high-value equipment as a second layer.
Higher-rating systems for homes in high lightning or exposed utility areas.
"I have surge strips, so I'm covered."
Reality: Surge strips have a maximum joule rating that degrades with each event... They also only protect what's plugged into them — not your wired-in HVAC, refrigerator, oven, or any 240V appliance.
"Surge protectors are only useful during lightning storms."
Reality: The majority of damaging surges are not weather-related. They come from utility-side switching, downed lines being restored...
"Newer homes don't need them — the panel handles it."
Reality: A standard modern panel does not include surge protection. If you didn't specifically pay for it during the build, your panel doesn't have it.
We verify panel grounding before installation... We size the device to your actual exposure... We install Type 1 where possible... We document the install.
The factors that drive cost... We quote you a flat number after a brief panel assessment... No mid-project surprises.
Today, that catalog is the entire house... The cost of protecting against it has not.
"Had a transformer event take out our HVAC... Called Union to install whole-house protection... Glad we got it done."
— James Holloway, Altoona
"I work from home... Got both whole-house and point-of-use protection installed by Union."
— Patricia Romero, Altoona, IA
"Honest assessment... Union did, found a loose connection at the ground rod, fixed it..."
— Kevin Sutherland, Altoona
For most devices, yes — your standard household electronics will be adequately protected. For high-value or sensitive equipment, a layered approach is recommended.
A standard whole-house surge protector install at an existing panel in Altoona, IA takes between one and three hours... most installs are done in a single visit.
Not usually. A standard residential panel in working condition can accept a Type 2 surge protector...
A quality whole-house protector has an indicator light... typically last twenty years or more.
Yes. Whole-house surge protector installation requires a permit in most jurisdictions. We pull the permit and handle inspection coordination.
Stop relying on hardware-store strips for protection they were never designed to provide. One of the highest-impact electrical upgrades available.
Click Here to Call (888) 355-9624Slots fill faster after storm events — schedule before you need it, not after.