What electrical issue is commonly treated with the installation of a surge protector?

The installation of a surge protector is specifically designed to safeguard electrical devices from voltage spikes. Voltage spikes can occur due to various reasons, including lightning strikes, power outages, or fluctuations in the electrical grid. When a sudden increase in voltage happens, it can cause damage to electronic devices or appliances connected to the power supply. A surge protector works by detecting these sudden increases in voltage and redirects the excess voltage away from the devices, thus preventing potential damage.

In contrast, overloading circuits involves too many devices drawing power from a single circuit, which is a different issue that requires managing load and circuit capacity rather than voltage fluctuations. Short circuits pose immediate hazards by creating an unintended path for electrical flow, leading to circuit breakers tripping or even fire risks, which necessitates identifying and repairing the fault rather than installing a surge protector. Grounding issues relate to the safe dissipation of electrical current into the ground and are handled through proper grounding methods rather than surge protection.