The most expensive thing in your house isn't the appliance you can see. It's the one that's about to fail because of a surge you didn't notice.
A whole-house surge protector lives at your service panel and stops voltage transients before they can reach a single device. It costs less than one mid-range refrigerator. It protects every refrigerator, HVAC unit, oven, washer, dryer, TV, computer, smart device, and LED fixture in the home.
What We Install
Each option below is a complete scope. Pick the one that fits, or call and we'll match you to it.
Type 2 Whole House Surge Protector Installation
The most common install. Mounted inside the panel, wired to a dedicated breaker, sized to absorb the typical range of utility-side and household-side transients. Suitable for the majority of Novato residential properties on a standard underground or overhead service.
- 3 hours start to finish
- Grounding verification included
Type 1 Surge Protection for High-Exposure Properties
If you're on overhead lines, on a long rural feed, or in an area that takes lightning seasonally, Type 1 is the better answer. Mounted at the meter base or panel inlet, designed for higher-energy transients including direct lightning-induced events.
Layered Surge Protection (Whole-House + Point-of-Use)
For home theater rigs, server racks, medical equipment, or anything else where a one-time loss is unacceptable, layered protection is the right answer. Whole-house at the panel handles the heavy hits. Hardwired point-of-use at the room handles the leftovers.
"This is what we install in our own homes."
Surge Protector Replacement
Surge protectors absorb. Eventually they fill up. If your light is red, it's not protecting anything anymore. Replacement is fast and worth doing the week you notice.
Panel Grounding Verification & Repair
Before any surge protection install in Novato, we verify the grounding electrode system. If the ground rod connection is loose, corroded, or missing entirely, we fix it before we install anything else.
How a Visit Goes
Step by step, what to expect.
You call. We ask three questions.
We schedule within 5 business days.
On-site assessment (15 min).
Install (2-3 hours).
Test, document & permit.
Whole House Surge Protector Installation in Novato, CA: What This Actually Saves You
Concrete examples of what gets killed in a single significant surge:
Local Realities in Novato, CA
Novato has a mix of overhead and underground service depending on neighborhood. Overhead service is more exposed to lightning-induced transients. Underground is better protected from weather but more vulnerable to utility-side switching events.
We've seen both. We've seen the post-restoration spike kill more residential electronics than any storm. The protector handles both.
Reviews from Novato, CA
"We had a storm take out our HVAC, the fridge, and three lighting circuits... Wish we'd called sooner."
— Daniel Kowalski, Novato
"Graphic checked ours, found a loose ground clamp, fixed it... Final price was the same as the other guy's quote."
— Michelle Pratt, Novato, CA
"Quick install, clean work, and they didn't try to upsell me on anything I didn't ask about."
— Andre Foster, Novato
Whole House Surge Protector Installation in Novato, CA: What People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception we hear in Novato is some version of "I have surge strips, so I'm covered."
It's wrong in three ways at once...
- Surge strips get used up with no warning.
- They only protect plugged-in devices.
- Most surges aren't dramatic lightning strikes — they're constant small transients from the utility and your own appliances.
A single whole-house surge protector at the panel costs less than the deductible on most homeowners' insurance policies.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the install take in Novato?
Two to three hours for a standard Type 2 install at an existing panel. Power is off for about 45 minutes of that. We schedule around your needs.
Do I need a permit?
Yes, in most Novato, CA jurisdictions. Whole-house surge protector installation is permitted electrical work and inspected after completion. We pull the permit and coordinate inspection.
Will I notice it working?
Hopefully not. The indicator light tells you it's operational. If it ever goes from green to red, the device has reached capacity and needs replacement.
Is this the same as an electrician installing a surge strip in my panel?
No. A whole-house surge protector is a specialized device designed to absorb transients across the full service entrance.
Can I do this myself?
The install requires opening a live panel... most Novato jurisdictions require permitted licensed installation.
Schedule Your Install — Slots Fill Faster During Storm Months
If you're in Novato, CA and you don't have whole-house surge protection, the best time to install it is before the next event, not after.
(888) 355-9624