Surge Protection Installation in Los Angeles
If you’re trying to figure out whether Surge Protection Installation in Los Angeles is worth it, this page is your shortcut. We’ll walk through what surge protection actually does, where it’s installed (at the panel vs. farther downstream), how it works with your existing electrical panel, how long it takes, and when it realistically pays for itself. You’ll also see how our Expert Surge Protection Services in Los Angeles work for homes, small businesses, and HOAs, what drives pricing up or down, a real LA case study, common FAQs, and how to get started with farashi electric.
While you’re here, you may also want to look at: Commercial Electrician and residential electrician in Los Angeles, Property Management Electrician Los Angeles, Breaker Repair, Dimmer Switch Installation & Repair and Electrical Outlet Repair & Replacement in Los Angeles.
One storm, one spike… and a fridge, modem, and thermostat all die.
Picture this: it’s a quiet evening, maybe a little windy outside. Lights flicker for half a second and then come back like nothing happened. A few hours later, your fridge starts beeping, your Wi-Fi router won’t boot, and your smart thermostat screen is just… black. That’s what a surge can do.
Modern homes and small businesses aren’t just “lights and outlets” anymore. They’re packed with sensitive electronics—appliances with circuit boards, routers and modems, EV chargers, HVAC control boards, dimmers, LED drivers. A single big surge can take them out in one shot. The smaller everyday surges you don’t see slowly weaken them, like tiny hits that add up over time.
These surges (also called transients) are very short bursts of higher-than-normal voltage. They can damage, degrade, or destroy electronics—and buildings can see multiple small surges every single day. You don’t smell burnt plastic or see smoke most of the time; things just start failing earlier than they should.
Want your electronics safe from the next power spike?
Whole-home surge protection installation in Los Angeles by licensed electricians—UL-listed devices, clean panel work, and photo documentation you can keep for insurance and resale.
Call for Surge Protection NowWhy surge protection matters in LA
A lot of people think surge protection is only for places that get dramatic lightning storms every week. “We’re in LA, it barely rains, why bother?”
Here’s the thing: many surges don’t come from the sky at all. They come from:
- Utility switching and grid work
- Downed or damaged lines
- Large appliances cycling on and off (AC units, pumps, compressors, elevators)
Every time one of those events happens, a little spike can be injected into your system. Repeated “micro-surges” slowly shorten the life of your electronics. Every once in a while, a bigger one shows up and takes out something expensive in one shot.
On top of that, electrical malfunctions are a major source of home fires nationwide. Surge damage isn’t the only cause, but it’s part of the bigger electrical risk picture. Good surge protection, paired with solid wiring, lowers that risk and keeps things running instead of burning or breaking.
What the electrical code actually says
Here’s the code side, in plain English:
- Homes are now required to have a Surge Protective Device (SPD) at the service.
The National Electrical Code® added section 230.67, which says dwelling units must have a Type 1 or Type 2 SPD at the service. It can be built into the service equipment or mounted right next to it. If you replace the service, you’re supposed to add surge protection then as well. - What are the different SPD types, really?
- Type 1 SPD – Can be installed before or after the main service disconnect (often at the meter/main combo). Think “whole-home, right at the source.”
- Type 2 SPD – Lives on the load side of the service, usually at the main panel or a subpanel. Also used as whole-home or whole-subpanel protection.
- Type 3 SPD – These are your quality point-of-use devices, like well-built surge strips for your office, AV rack, or gaming setup. They don’t replace whole-home devices; they back them up.
Short version:
The modern best practice is one strong “whole-home” SPD at the service, backed up by targeted subpanel or point-of-use protection for the really sensitive stuff. That’s the combo supported by the major manufacturers and industry standards.
Services we provide (residential & small commercial)
When you bring in Farashi Electric for surge protection, here’s what we actually do—not just what it says on the box:
- Professional surge protection at the main panel
We install a Type 1 or Type 2 SPD that matches your service size and short-circuit rating. It’s sized and placed to protect the entire home or small business, not just one circuit. - Panel-integrated or side-mounted installs
If your panel’s older or undersized, we can coordinate surge protection with an Electrical panel upgrade so you’re not throwing new gear onto a tired base. - Subpanel and dedicated-circuit protection
We can add SPDs at subpanels or specific branches that feed high-value loads: offices, AV rooms, home studios, server closets, and car charger installation circuits, as well as solar or battery tie-ins. - System hardening
We check bonding and grounding, clean up questionable terminations, and fold surge protection into electrical wiring and rewiring or electrical troubleshooting and repairs so you’re not just “adding a gadget” to a shaky system. - Exterior and yard protection
During landscape lighting installation, we can protect low-voltage lights, pond pumps, and other outdoor gear that’s extra exposed to weather and surges.
Our install method
Here’s what it looks like when we actually come out to install surge protection:
- Photo triage & panel review
You send us a couple of photos: panel with the door open and the label/sticker. From that, we confirm your service size, panel brand, and whether there’s room for an SPD. We also look for red flags in grounding and bonding. - Choosing the right device
Based on your setup, we select a UL 1449-listed SPD (Type 1 or Type 2) with the correct voltage rating and surge current capacity. We mount it either inside the panel or immediately next to it, right where the code allows. - Neat, low-impedance installation
We keep the SPD leads as short and direct as possible, use the proper breaker type for Type 2 installs, torque all terminations correctly, and route everything tidy. That’s not just for looks—short leads mean better performance when a surge hits. - Downstream strategy where it counts
If you’ve got a home office, theater room, server gear, or EVSE, we’ll talk about adding extra protection at the feeding subpanel or using high-quality Type 3 devices. The goal is layered protection, not just “one box and hope.” - Proof package for your records
After we’re done, you get photos, model and rating info, and a quick note on what to do after a major surge event (for example, when to check or replace an SPD). That packet is gold for insurance and resale.
How long it takes & what it costs
Most residential surge protection installation in Los Angeles at an accessible main panel can be done in a single visit. You don’t lose power all day—we plan the work so downtime is short.
Pricing isn’t one flat number, because it depends on things like:
- The class and rating of the SPD
- Your panel brand and available space
- How cleanly we can route conductors
- Whether we’re combining the work with an Electrical panel upgrade or other projects
If your service equipment is clearly at the end of its life—rust, heat damage, obsolete breakers—we’ll stabilize what’s there and then show you “good / better / best” upgrade paths. That way you don’t pay twice for temporary fixes.
We always confirm the plan after a quick photo review, so the number we give you makes sense before anyone steps into your driveway.
Featured examples from our electrical projects
Bahram Farashi
C-10 Licensed Electrician (CA Lic. #1102687) — 10+ years installing residential/commercial Electrical Services.
FAQ — quick, straight answers
Yes. Under NEC 230.67 (2020/2023 cycles), new or replaced dwelling services must have a Type 1 or Type 2 SPD at the service. It can be built into the gear or installed right next to it. If you’re upgrading your service, this should be part of the project.
Type 1 can sit on either side of the main disconnect (often near the meter/main), while Type 2 lives on the load side in the panel or subpanel. In practice, we choose based on your equipment, layout, and space. In some cases, we use both: one at the service, one at sensitive subpanels.
Yes, for truly sensitive electronics. Whole-home devices knock down the big hits, and good Type 3 point-of-use strips catch what’s left over or what gets generated inside the building. Think “layered defense,” not either/or.
No. SPDs handle surges; they don’t solve flickering from loose connections, chronic low voltage, bad neutrals, or overloaded circuits. When we’re on-site, we test for those issues and recommend repairs separately if we find them.
Yes.
If your panel is obsolete, undersized, or showing heat damage, it’s usually smarter to plan an Electrical panel upgrade and integrate surge protection during that work. You get safer gear and better value from the SPD. If it’s safe but just older, we’ll talk you through the pros and cons.
