Understanding power surges and blinks at your home

Have you ever noticed your lights blink during a thunderstorm? Or perhaps you’ve noticed a blinking microwave clock when you arrive home. When this happens, you’ve likely experienced a brief disruption to your electric service, which could result from a power surge or blink. While the symptoms of surges and blinks can appear similar, what’s happening behind the scenes can be quite different.

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Lightning strikes can cause faults (short circuits) on power lines, which can cause your power to blink. Photo Credit: Pat Gaines