Most people don’t think about power surges until something breaks. A microwave that suddenly stops working. A computer that won’t turn back on after a storm. It doesn’t take much. A quick spike in power is enough to damage sensitive electronics or shorten the life of your appliances.

In Illinois, where summer storms and heavy power use are part of life, these spikes happen more often than many homeowners realize. Whole home surge protection is one way to stay ahead of it. At Tiger Plumbing, Heating, Air Conditioning & Electrical Services, we help families in Collinsville, Springfield, Bloomington, Peoria, and surrounding areas add that extra layer of defense.

What Is Whole Home Surge Protection?

A whole home surge protector gets installed at the main electrical panel. Think of it as a gatekeeper. When the voltage jumps too high, it pushes that extra energy away from your home’s wiring before it reaches your outlets.

That’s a big difference from those little surge strips you keep under the desk or behind the TV. Those only cover what’s plugged into them, and they wear out quickly. A whole home system protects everything: the fridge, washer, dryer, furnace, air conditioner, even the outlets you don’t think about. Instead of just handling one or two outlets, it covers your entire electrical system, including big-ticket items like your furnace, air conditioner, and even the garage door opener. For most Illinois homes, that wide net makes more sense than relying on a handful of surge strips.

Signs You Need Whole Home Surge Protection

Not sure if it’s worth it? Here are a few red flags.

You live in an area with frequent outages or lightning storms. Places outside Peoria and rural towns like Quincy see this often.
Your electrical panel is older. Springfield and Chicago homes built decades ago usually don’t have built-in surge protection.
You’ve had electronics or appliances fail right after a storm or flicker. That’s a sign a surge already got through.

If any of these sound familiar, you’re probably a good candidate for a whole home system.

Illinois-Specific Surge Risks

Illinois weather is unpredictable. Strong summer storms bring lightning and high winds. Tornadoes in central parts of the state can knock out power and stress the grid. When the lights come back on, that surge of electricity can be rough on your home’s wiring.

It’s not just storms. In July and August, when every home in Collinsville, Bloomington, and Peoria has air conditioners running at full blast, the grid gets overloaded. Small surges slip through and wear down your appliances a little at a time. Ice storms in winter can have the same effect, with sudden outages and then big spikes when power is restored. In Peoria, we often see lightning strikes that knock out power on one side of town while overloading circuits on the other. In Collinsville, summer brownouts push appliances hard, and that strain can trigger small surges that add up over time.

Benefits of Installing Whole Home Surge Protection

So what do you get out of adding protection at the panel?

Your expensive electronics are shielded. TVs, computers, game systems, and smart devices don’t take the hit.
Appliances last longer. Washers, dryers, and refrigerators aren’t stressed by little surges every time the power flickers.
You save money in the long run. Fewer repairs, fewer replacements, and fewer insurance claims.
Peace of mind. When the thunder starts rolling in Springfield, you don’t have to unplug everything in the living room.

Why Trust Tiger for Surge Protection Solutions

We’ve been working in Illinois homes long enough to know how unpredictable the weather is and how hard it can be on electrical systems. From Collinsville and Springfield to Bloomington and Peoria, we’ve installed surge protection in homes of every size and age.

When you call Tiger, here’s what you get:

Licensed electricians who install professional-grade systems
Honest advice about whether your home is a good candidate
Knowledge of how Illinois weather and the local grid affect your house
A team that stands behind the work if you ever need support down the road

Whole home surge protection isn’t flashy. It’s not something you notice every day. But when the next big storm hits, you’ll be glad it’s there.

Illinois weather is unpredictable, and a surge protector at the panel gives your home a fighting chance when power spikes. It’s an upgrade you don’t think about until it saves an appliance or your HVAC system, and by then it’s already paid for itself. Call Tiger Plumbing, Heating, Air Conditioning & Electrical Services to see if whole home surge protection is the right fit for your home.