Taney County MO – The National
Weather Service is calling for the potential for severe weather from
Wednesday, April 25, on through the coming weekend, several days
later! That is noting unusual, and if your electric coop has buried
your power and communication cables underground, it should be a non
event. For those whose cables are hung on poles, rapid power
fluctuation and sudden spikes from lightening bolts could destroy
some of your expensive electronics! At the very least, power surges
will shorten the life of sensitive equipment!
Ten years ago, the probability of any
real harm from lightening was a lot less, as most people had little
in the way of sensitive equipment to worry about. Today that isn't
the case for many! In my home there are tablets, multiple computers,
cellphones, digital TV and a host of other devices that depend on
circuit boards in order to operate! Even a surge protector may or may
not save them from a close-in strike! So, it pays to be weather aware
and to perform a few simple steps to make sure that the storms come
and go without incident.
- Unplug any electronic device that you still want to use after the storm. I generally switch off my computers, routers, TV's and microwave just to be sure they are isolated from power surges.
- Consider purchasing a better grade of surge protection. This is especially important for that typical ball of outlets that service computer equipment! Check out this article that describes some of the better units.
- Take out insurance to protect you from just this type of problem, if the manufacturer offers it.
- Invest in a weather radio with S.A.M.E technology – you'll get timely warnings that pertain only to your county.
- Where possible, have your equipment clustered off a few switched multi-outlets. Then, all you need to do is to flip a few switches with it begins to boom outdoors!
Lastly, encourage your city and local
electric company to invest in underground runs that will make
everyone's life a whole lot more enjoyable!
