Surge Protection & Generator Installation Lewistown PA | Protect Your Home

Central Pennsylvania weather can turn unpredictable fast — especially in Mifflin County, where heavy rain, lightning, high winds, and winter storms can all strike in the same season. These sudden weather events often lead to power surges, which can quietly damage your home’s electrical system and shorten the lifespan of your appliances.

If you live in Lewistown, Burnham, Reedsville, Yeagertown, Belleville, or anywhere across Mifflin County, surge protection and backup power planning are essential for keeping your home safe and powered year-round.

This guide breaks down what power surges are, what causes them, and the best ways to protect your home — including whole-home surge protection and backup generators.

🌩️ What Is a Power Surge?

A power surge is a sudden increase in electrical voltage flowing through your home’s wiring.  Even a split-second spike can damage anything connected to your electrical system.

Common signs a surge has occurred:

• Electronics suddenly shut off
• Lightbulbs burn out more often
• Appliances behave strangely
• Breakers trip for no clear reason
• GFCI outlets randomly reset

While some surges are small and go unnoticed, repeated minor surges slowly damage your equipment over time.

⚡ What Causes Power Surges in Mifflin County Homes?

Homes in Lewistown and the surrounding areas experience surges from a variety of sources, especially during storms.

1. Lightning Strikes
   Central PA thunderstorms create strong lightning activity. Even if lightning strikes a power line miles away, it can travel through the electrical grid into your home.
2. Power Outage Restorations
   When Penelec restores power after an outage, a sudden flood of electricity enters your panel — often causing a surge.
3. Faulty Appliances
   Older refrigerators, AC units, heat pumps, or well pumps can produce internal surges when they cycle on.
4. Downed Trees or Power Lines
   A common Mifflin County issue — especially in windstorms and winter ice events.
5. Utility Switching
   When the energy provider switches grids or transformers during storms or repairs, it often sends a voltage spike down the line.

🏠  Why Surge Protection Matters for Lewistown Homes

Many homes in Lewistown and nearby communities were built between the 1950s and 1980s. Their electrical systems weren’t designed for:

• Modern electronics
• Smart home devices
• High-efficiency HVAC units
• Home offices full of sensitive equipment

This makes them more vulnerable to damage when voltage spikes occur.

Power surges can damage or destroy:

• Refrigerators
• Televisions
• Computers
• Furnaces & AC units
• Water heaters
• Sump pumps
• Garage door openers
• Well pumps
• Smart home devices

A whole-home surge protector can prevent thousands of dollars in potential damage.

🔧 Whole-Home Surge Protection: The Best Defense

Unlike small power strip surge protectors, a whole-home surge protector is installed directly in your electrical panel.

Its job is simple:

Absorb or block dangerous voltage spikes  before they reach your appliances, outlets, and wiring.

Benefits of whole-home surge protection:

• Protects your entire electrical system
• Handles outdoor and lightning-related surges
• Reduces strain on your panel
• Prolongs the life of appliances and electronics
• Adds value to your home
• Works instantly during storms or outages

For a typical Lewistown home, this is one of the best electrical upgrades you can make.

🔋 Backup Generators: Staying Powered During Storms

Storm-related outages are common across Central PA, especially in rural parts of Mifflin County.

A backup generator keeps your essential systems running when the power goes out:

Power stays on for:

• Refrigerators & freezers
• Lights
• Heating & cooling systems
• Medical devices
• Wi-Fi & home office equipment
• Sump pumps (critical during heavy rains)

We install both:

• Automatic standby generators — turn on instantly
• Manual transfer switch systems — safer and code-compliant alternatives to portable generators

A generator paired with surge protection gives homeowners complete storm resilience.

🧰 Professional Installation Matters

Installing a whole-home surge protector or generator isn’t a DIY project.

Lewistown Electric ensures:

• Proper panel compatibility
• Safe wiring and grounding
• Correct amperage sizing
• Code compliance
• Lightning-rated surge devices
• Clean installations with long-term reliability

We assess your panel’s current condition, load capacity, and wiring quality — especially important in older Lewistown homes.

🛡️ Does Surge Protection Really Make a Difference?

Yes — especially in areas like:

• Lewistown
• Burnham
• Reedsville
• Yeagertown
• Milroy
• Belleville

Homes in these communities frequently experience:

• Lightning storms
• High winds
• Ice damage
• Utility switching
• Seasonal outages

A single lightning surge can damage thousands of dollars’ worth of equipment.  Surge protection costs far less and protects far more.

📍 Protect Your Home Before the Next Storm Hits

Storm season in Central PA can arrive without warning.  Don’t wait until your next outage or damaged appliance to take action.

Lewistown Electric provides:

• Whole-home surge protection installation
• Backup generator installation
• Electrical panel upgrades
• Storm-readiness assessments
• Safe, code-compliant generator hookups

📞 Call Us Today: (717) 400-6787
📍 Serving Lewistown, Burnham, Yeagertown, Reedsville & all of Mifflin County
🌐 Your Local Electrical Experts