Perhaps I am getting this all wrong, but is most of the concern here about surges and spikes from outside the house or business? If so, protect the service entrance first. From Square D:
"A damaging transient voltage can enter a facility from several locations. The highest level of protection should be provided at the service entrance. A second level of protection should be provided at distribution points serving critical areas, for example, computer rooms, accounting areas, and laboratories. Other facility entry points that should be protected include panels serving outdoor lights or outdoor equipment, such as motors. Protection should also be provided for critical areas with sensitive
equipment essential to the company."
Letting that crap into the house and then trying to keep it from your most expensive/sensitive gear while the rest of your home is vulnerable seems wrongheaded to me. I use that "second level of protection" too, but I would never rely on it alone, or to handle the really major threats.
Clark