Reducing Static Electricity in the Home
While not directly related to the wires, light sources, or power outlets in your home, static electricity is often a topic of great debate – especially during the fall and winter months.
Believe it or not, advances in the way homes are built have actually caused static electricity to become a more widespread problem. While your electrician really can’t do much to prevent static electricity from building up in your home, most will be able to give you some guidance on how to minimize its effects.
What Causes Static Electricity?
Several different factors can contribute to the development of static electricity. Some of the most common include the materials on the soles of your shoes, the way you walk, the type of fiber used to make your carpet, and even the materials laid beneath your carpeted floors.
Whether your carpet is clean or dirty makes a difference, as does the level of moisture found in the atmosphere of your home.
It is the degree of moisture (aka humidity) in the air that is most likely to impact static buildup. A humid environment will cause moisture to build up in the carpet fibers, lessening the likelihood of a static shock. The drier your environment, the easier it is to create a static buildup.
Avoiding Static Shock
Unfortunately, humidity is something your electrician cannot control. Back in the day, people would place pans of water near their heaters or on their stove in the hopes that the water would dissipate and add moisture to the environment.
More traditional methods for controlling static shock include spraying your carpets with a special anti-static formula or simply purchasing carpets with higher-quality fibers.
No matter what you do, static electricity is one problem you’ll simply have to deal with as the weather gets colder and the atmosphere dries out.
While your electrician can’t really help you to avoid static shock, he can help you to avoid other types of electrical hazards in the home. Make sure you call Conductive Electrical Contracting at 302-319-4061 if you need help with any other electrical problem you encounter! Or request a free electrical repair estimate here.
Services we Offer: General Electrical Repairs, Service Panel Upgrades, Backup Generator Installation, Electrical Wiring & Bonding for Pools, Lighting Installation, Whole House Surge Protection, Outlets and Switches, Convert Aluminum to Copper Wiring, Ceiling Fan Installation and more.
Areas we Serve: Wilmington, Newark, Pike Creek, Dover, Hockessin, Greenville, Smyrna and more.
