Want to Burn Down Your Building?

Start with an Old Surge Protector.

Okay, maybe that’s dramatic.

But if you’re using a 10-year-old surge protector stuffed with every plug you own… you’re not exactly playing defense.

Surge protectors aren’t forever devices. Most modern ones are rated for 3–5 years, and even that depends on how many power surges they’ve already absorbed. Once they absorb a major spike, their protection capacity drops, often without any outward sign.

Why Surge Protectors Wear Out

The protective magic inside a surge protector comes from components called metal-oxide varistors (MOVs). These guys absorb excess voltage and kick it safely to ground, keeping it from frying your equipment. But every time they do that, they sacrifice a bit of their protective capacity. Eventually, they run out of capacity and the surge protector stops protecting anything at all — it just becomes a fancy power strip.

And here’s the kicker: the little indicator lights on surge protectors aren’t always reliable. They might still glow green even after most of the MOV capacity is gone. That means you could be completely unprotected and think you’re safe.

Pick the Right Rating for Your Gear

Surge protectors are rated in joules, which tells you how much energy they can absorb before they’re done protecting. As a rule of thumb:

• 1,000+ joules — good baseline for general office gear
• 2,000–3,000+ joules — better for high-value equipment like gaming or workstations (Anker)

The more expensive your equipment is, the more you want to invest in higher joule ratings — because replacing your server or workstation costs way more than a quality protector.

More Than Just Big Surges

You don’t need a lightning strike to wear out a protector. Everyday electrical “blips” — from HVAC cycling to grid fluctuations — count toward that joule total. Over time they add up.

Know When to Replace It

Here’s a simple checklist:

• It’s older than 3–5 years. (How-To Geek)
• You see flickering lights or unexpected shutdowns on connected gear.
• The indicator light is off or behaving strangely.
• It’s physically damaged or overheated.

If you’re checking all this off, it’s time to toss the old unit and upgrade.

Final Reality Check

You can find surge protectors almost anywhere: big box stores, online marketplaces, even office supply shops. Just check the joule rating and choose something that matches the value of what you’re protecting. When it comes to electrical protection, cutting corners is the best way to create very exciting problems — and we prefer boring infrastructure.

Of course, surge protection is just one small piece of protecting your business from downtime. If you haven’t reviewed your disaster recovery plan lately, now is a good time to make sure you’re covered beyond just power spikes.