How to Protect Household Appliances From Electrical Disturbances

Unexpected electrical disturbances, such as power surges or the "Y2K bug" that was anticipated in 1999, may cause problems for electrical appliances with embedded chips. Take the necessary precautions to safeguard your equipment against possible complications.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Make a list of electrical items containing a circuit board, such as TVs, computers and stereos.
2. Check items or manuals to find exact models, version numbers and manufacturer names.
3. Visit a compliance web site such as Vendor2000 and search for information on your products.
4. Check manufacturers' web sites for information on specific products and how they may be affected.
5. Contact manufacturers directly by email or telephone to find out which of your appliances may be affected.
6. Check computer hardware compliance by contacting your unit's manufacturer.
7. Check software for compliance. Go to the Software Compliance Database web site for assistance.
8. Follow manufacturers' instructions for repairing, servicing or upgrading products.

Tips & Warnings

• Expensive electrical appliances and appliances that display the time usually include circuit boards.
• Backup all important information on your computer regularly.

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