How to protect your restaurant from power surges

Voltage spikes due to local area power outages or lightning strikes are a reality for most people. The surge of a power surge that occurs when electricity rushes through the electrical circuit can have devastating results for businesses and restaurants.

Restaurants are constantly dependent on electricity as it affects the number of customers they receive. If a restaurant closes due to a power surge that electrocuted all the kitchen equipment, it means revenue is lost during that period. As a restaurant owner, you need to plan what you would do in such a case and how to prevent it.

The first thing you could do is install a surge protector. This surge protector can minimize the impact of a surge when lightning strikes. Therefore, the electrical catering equipment will not receive that quick surge of electricity that can cause an electrical failure. The consequences of a sudden electrical shock can be devastating, as the electricity can burn or destroy the circuit board of an electrical appliance.

You might consider using gas-powered catering equipment, such as a gas stove and oven. For restaurants, there are 6-burner stovetop options available that allow you to cook more food at once. A gas stove and oven are not connected to an outlet but to a gas cylinder. Therefore, during a power surge, this commercial catering equipment will be safe.

It is advisable to unplug your catering equipment while it is not in use during a storm. This way you can minimize the devastating effects of a storm. You can still carry on with restaurant duties using the minimum required catering equipment. Anything your staff isn’t using, unplug it while the storm is raging.

Check that your insurance covers the replacement of your kitchen equipment when it is struck by lightning. Most insurance companies cover this, but with others it is optional coverage. In the event that your catering equipment is damaged due to lightning, they should be able to replace it. Take the precautions anyway, though, because the time between the insurance payout and the electrical surge can be days or weeks apart, and your restaurant has yet to keep going.

The last thing you want is for all of your electrical catering equipment to be damaged by a lightning strike. Rather, take precautions before it happens and save yourself the burden and cost of having to replace catering equipment.