One of the best investments you can make for your electronic equipment is a surge protector. Surge protectors are important because they provide current limiting and quick shutoff when a dangerous power surge is detected on the line voltage. A power surge can be caused by a number of events including faulty transformers, accidents involving power lines, lightning strikes, and other natural events. Surge protectors have special circuitry that will detect dangerous spikes and stop the current flow to all connected equipment. As electronic equipment becomes more dependent on micro processors it becomes even more important to protect them from power spikes.

Surge protectors are a fairly inexpensive investment if you consider the fact that a single surge protector can be used to protect your DVD, HD TV, and Home theater system. Imagine the cost to replace such items. Surge protectors are also important additions to your home computer system. You should never run your system without some form of surge protection. Most surge protectors pay for themselves the moment you turn them on. Also many manufactures of surge protectors will provide an equipment replacement policy if your equipment was damaged while using their surge protectors. Some of the top manufactures such as APC and Tripplite provide as much as $150,000 in protection.

Look for units that provide protection for more than just powered equipment.  Many surge protectors also provide lightning protection to phone, fax, dsl, cable, and satellite equipment.