After a Surge or Nearby Strike: What to Check - A Plain-English Guide
Last verified: September 2026
Once the storm passes, a calm walk-through tells you if all's well. Check your protector lights, reset GFCIs and breakers, look and sniff for trouble — and know that a burnt smell means stop and call a pro. Want a hand? My number is (330) 200-8042.
After a Surge, at a Glance
Once the storm passes and the power's steady, a calm walk-through tells you whether all is well — and most of the time, it is. Glance at each surge protector's indicator light and replace any that are spent, check the whole-home unit if you have one, reset any tripped GFCI outlets and breakers (both yours to do safely), and look and sniff for anything hot, odd, or burnt. The one line you don't cross: a burnt smell or scorching means stop and call a licensed electrician. This guide walks it through, in plain English. There's a printable 29-page version up top.
Common Questions
1 My TV still turns on — is the surge protector fine?
Not necessarily. A used-up protector still powers your devices, so the outlets working tells you nothing. Judge it by the 'protected' light: if that's out while the strip still has power, the protection is spent — replace it.
2 An outlet is dead after the storm — is it broken?
Usually not — it's often just tripped. Press the reset button on a GFCI outlet, or reset the breaker for that circuit. Both are safe for you to do. If it won't stay on, stop and call an electrician.
3 I smell something burnt near an outlet — what do I do?
Take it seriously. Unplug the item if you can do so safely, don't use it, and call a licensed electrician. A burnt or electrical smell, or any scorching, is a stop-and-call moment, not a wait-and-see one.
4 The internet went out — is my equipment ruined?
Often not. Try a power cycle first: unplug the modem and router, wait a bit, and plug them back in, giving each a minute to come up. If they still won't connect or won't power on, a surge may have reached them — possibly along the cable line.
5 How do I know if my whole-home protector took a hit?
Glance at its indicator light on the outside of the panel — a healthy light means it's still on guard. If it's changed or dark, it may be spent. Checking or replacing it is a licensed electrician's job; never open the panel yourself.
6 A device died weeks after the storm — could the storm be why?
Quite possibly. A surge can weaken a device so it fails later rather than right away. It's a good reason to keep fresh protectors on your sensitive gear and replace any that are spent.
Would You Rather I Just Help?
After a storm, I'll walk your home with you: check the protectors and replace spent ones, reset what needs resetting, get your network gear back online, and help you tell a harmless quirk from a real problem. For anything scorched or hardwired, I'll line you up with a trusted electrician. Nothing to sell you, ever. $99 flat for a visit, 30-day come-back-free.
Would you rather I just do this for you?
No shame in it — plenty of folks would rather hand it off, and that's what I'm here for. I'll come to your home, set it up right, and make sure it's working before I leave. Flat $99 per visit — no jargon, no upsell, and every visit is 30-day come-back-free.
Not a hardware job? I can often fix it remotely for $49 — a secure screen-share, up to 2 hours, that you watch the whole time and can end whenever (included free for $39/mo Support Plan members, and it counts toward the $99 if it turns out I need to come out).