The cost of a whole-house surge protector depends on the materials, size, installation, and more. This guide will help you budget for a new surge protector.
How Does a Whole House Surge Protector Work?
You might be "shocked" to learn how beneficial they are
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A home surge protector wired to your electrical panel diverts excess voltage through your home's grounding line, protecting appliances from power spikes and lightning strikes.
Expect to pay $300 to $700 for professional whole-home surge protector installation, with electricians charging $150 to $200 per hour on average.
You can layer protection by combining whole-home surge protection with plug-in power strips, creating comprehensive defense for both large appliances and smaller electronics.
Hiring a local electrical professional provides safe installation at your electrical panel and helps prevent costly damage from surges, keeping your home protected year-round.
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You're cooking dinner and running the dishwasher at the same time. Then suddenly, ZAP—the lights go out. Or maybe a lightning storm is rolling through, and you lose power across your home from one swift bolt. Power surges can be inconvenient, if not dangerous, as excessive energy can damage appliances.
One remedy is to have a whole-home surge protector installed. In this guide, learn how they work and if the investment is worth it over simply using power strips throughout your home.
What Is a Whole Home Surge Protector?
In the same way a plug-in surge protector works to protect your TV and other appliances, a whole home surge protector works to prevent electric power surges and spikes across your home.
An electrical power surge is a high voltage charge of electricity that makes its way through your home's wires. This increase exceeds the max rated voltage (usually 120-volts) in your home, and can result in damage to your home's electronics and appliances.
Because electric surges are often uncontrollable—lightning storms and grid malfunctions are two of the major causes—a whole home surge protector acts as a buffer for all your home's devices. In that sense, surge protectors can make a great investment.
How a Whole Home Surge Protector Works
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Whereas single surge protectors are plugged into an outlet in your home and work to protect a handful of items, a whole home surge protector is plugged directly into your home's electrical panel.
An easy way to understand surge protectors is to think of them as energy diverters. When a surge or spike rolls through, the device sends all the excess power that your home's appliances can't take on safely down through your home's grounding power line.
Benefits of a Whole Home Surge Provider
They offer comprehensive lightning protection at the point of entrance to your home.
They shield larger appliances that draw more energy, like washers and dryers.
They protect your home's entire electrical system.
They prevent standby energy loss and potential damage to appliances.
They're generally affordable.
Three Types of Surge Protectors
There are three types of surge protectors to help homeowners achieve peace of mind. Here's a bit about each to help homeowners decide which might be right for them.
1. External Surge Protectors
An external surge protector is installed outside the home on the utility pole to the breaker panel and is waterproof. It essentially eliminates the possibility of higher-than-safe volts of electricity making their way down the power line and entering your home.
2. Whole Home Surge Protectors
The whole home surge protector is wired directly into your electrical panel. Higher than average volts can still enter your home, but they’ll get cut off before ever getting to your appliances and devices.
3. Appliance Surge Protectors
You’re likely familiar with these types of surge-protective power strips. They are the last line of defense against surges and work the same way as a whole home surge protector, only they divert extra energy into the outlet's ground wiring.
Whole-Home Surge Protection: How Effective Is It?
In short, a whole-home surge protector can be very effective. Many homeowners understand the risks of plugging in too many appliances and use a power strip to avoid surges and spikes. But some don't think about the great number of HVAC and kitchen appliances, among other items, that draw larger amounts of power.
A whole-home surge protector can be a great insurance policy against bad weather and power grid malfunctions. Electrical damage repairs can easily cost thousands, so you're making a good investment by installing one.
How Much Does a Whole Home Surge Protector Cost?
The cost to install a whole-home surge protector is between $300 and $700. Due to safety concerns when dealing with electrical wires, they should be installed by a professional electrician or local, licensed electrical company. Hiring an electrician costs between $150 and $200 per hour on average. External surge protectors are slightly more affordable, falling between $300 and $1,000 to have installed.
Electrical services reviews from real Angi homeowners in Columbus, OH
4.7★ avg. • 111 total reviews
- Rob H.
I recently had Mosby Electric perform an electrical installation on 8-14-2026, and I couldn’t be more satisfied with the service. From the moment I called, their team demonstrated fast arrival and professionalism. The electricians were highly knowledgeable, completing the installation...
Mosby Electric - Jeff B.
Great company! Price was competitive, technician showed up on time and completed the job (exterior electric Radon fan replacement) quickly. Would hire them again.
MaGen Property Inspections and Radon Mitigation - Regina H.
I conferred with 2 other contractors before Armstrong Electric. Nick and his crew showed me that the project was not as convoluted as the other contractors made it appear to be. They completed the entire project on time. They were professional, friendly and cleaned up after at completion. I...
ARMSTRONG ELECTRIC, LLC - Jeffrey J.
The techs on my project, Shawn and Cliff, were great. They were prompt, courteous, and efficient. I am very happy with the results and would definitely contact Mr. Electric for any future electrical projects.
Mr. Electric of Columbus - William R.
Victor was wonderful. He was on time, professional, and explained everything he was doing. He was thorough and figured out that the problem was electrical instead of with my HVAC system. Very knowledgeable. I will be using this company in the future for any HVAC needs. Thanks!
Hubbs Heating & Air LLC - Jerald W.
They were excellent. They did a great job. I was totally satisfied. They put tremendous effort in making sure the work was completed. They were great. They provided immediate response to any inquires I made. I would hire them again. I would recommend them to anyone who needs electrical work....
JCB & Associates, LLC DBA Property-Tech Industries - Paul H.
Initially, the repairman could not find the problem. Apparently, there was some electrical shortage, but he could not find the definite problem. He left, but called back later to say he had a new idea. He returned and replaced the light switches on the doors. The refrigerator seemed to return...
Appliance Pro LLC - Sarah C.
The initial quoted price from a walk-through seemed high, but we discussed that the quote represented worst case scenario (re-wiring to two floors) and we were excited about the opportunity to have the work done in a timely manner with closing for fire safety reasons, etc. When the job was...
- Erin W.
I have to tell you I am all about customer service - I will go out of my way and even pay more for it if you give me great customer service. <br> <br>In a world where this is hard to find, these guys were awesome! I can not sing their praises enough. They were prompt, personable, funny, got...
Waibel Electric - Bradley H.
When I challenged the markup on the generator, Bruder Electric withdrew its bid. They only want naïve customers.
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