Whole-House Surge Protection
Protect every circuit in your Kansas City home from voltage spikes. XDS Electric installs panel-mounted surge protective devices that guard your HVAC, appliances, EV charger, and electronics. Licensed, permitted, inspected.
The Threat Isn't Just Lightning
Most electrical damage in a modern home doesn't arrive with a dramatic lightning bolt. It builds quietly over months and years, in tiny bursts you never see. Large motorized appliances — air conditioners, refrigerators, well pumps, HVAC systems — create small voltage spikes every time they cycle on and off, dozens of times a day. Utility grid switching and power restoration after an outage send surges down the service line. Even a lightning strike a mile away can couple energy onto nearby power lines.
Individually these spikes are minor. Cumulatively, they wear down the sensitive electronics in everything from your refrigerator's control board to your smart thermostat — slowly shortening their lifespan long before you notice a problem. A whole-house surge protective device (SPD) reacts in nanoseconds, diverting that excess energy safely to ground before it reaches your circuits.
Internal Switching
Motorized appliances spike voltage every cycle.
Utility Events
Grid switching and outage restoration send surges inbound.
Lightning
Nearby strikes couple energy onto your service lines.
Type 1 vs Type 2
Type 1 SPD
Installed on the line side of the main service disconnect, ahead of the main breaker. Rated to handle larger externally generated surges, including utility switching events and lightning-induced transients coming down the service line.
Best for: Homes wanting the highest level of service-entrance protection
Type 2 SPD
Installed on the load side of the main breaker, inside or adjacent to your panel. This is the most common whole-house solution, protecting every branch circuit from both incoming surges and the internal spikes your own appliances create.
Best for: The standard, cost-effective whole-house option for most homes
Device types follow the classifications defined by NEMA and UL 1449. For a layered strategy, electricians pair a panel SPD with quality point-of-use protectors on your most sensitive electronics.
How It Works
Panel & Grounding Assessment
We inspect your main panel, breaker configuration, and grounding system. An SPD can only divert surge energy effectively if the home has a solid, code-compliant path to ground.
Device Selection & Sizing
We recommend the right Type 1 or Type 2 SPD for your service, sized and coordinated with your existing breakers to match how your electrical system is built.
Permitted Installation
We pull required permits and wire the SPD directly into your service panel with short, straight conductors for the fastest possible clamping response.
Verification & Walkthrough
We verify the installation, confirm the device status indicator is reporting protection, and walk you through what the SPD does and how to check it over time.
Surge Protection FAQs
What does whole-house surge protection actually protect?
A whole-house surge protective device (SPD) is wired at your main panel and protects every circuit in the home — HVAC control boards, smart appliances, EV charging equipment, home networking and security systems, and everything else that is hard-wired or plugged in. It absorbs both large external surges and the small internal spikes your own motorized appliances create every day.
Is surge protection required by code?
The 2020 and later editions of the National Electrical Code (NEC 230.67) require surge protection for dwelling-unit services when a panel is installed or replaced. Even where an older code edition still applies locally, adding an SPD is a widely recommended upgrade for any modern home.
Isn’t a power strip enough?
A plug-in surge strip is a point-of-use device — it only protects what is plugged into it and only against smaller surges. It does nothing for hard-wired equipment like your HVAC, oven, or EV charger. Whole-house protection works from the panel outward so every circuit benefits. The two are complementary: a panel SPD for the large surges, plus point-of-use protectors on your most sensitive electronics.
What is the difference between a Type 1 and Type 2 SPD?
Type 1 devices are installed ahead of the main breaker on the line side and are rated for larger service-entrance surges. Type 2 devices are installed on the load side of the main breaker and are the most common whole-house solution. We help you choose the right type for your service during the assessment.
How long does installation take?
A typical whole-house SPD installation is completed in a couple of hours. Because the work happens inside a live service panel, it should always be performed by a licensed electrician who will also verify your panel and grounding as part of the job.
Does an SPD need maintenance?
Very little. Quality SPDs include a status indicator that shows whether the device is still providing protection. After a major surge event, the device may need to be replaced — we can inspect it and swap the module if the indicator shows it has reached the end of its life.
References: NFPA 70 (National Electrical Code) § 230.67 and NEMA surge protective device standards.
Protect Your Whole Home
Request a surge-protection assessment. We'll evaluate your panel and grounding and recommend the right device for your system.