Static shocks aren’t just a painful annoyance, they can also be really dangerous. They tend to be more of a problem in the cold, dry weather. The good news is, there are ways to reduce the amount of static electricity in the home. Below you’ll find out exactly what static electricity is and how you can avoid it.

Understanding static electricity

Before you can take steps to reduce the amount of static electricity in the home, it helps to understand what it is and where it comes from. The actual process of how it builds up is pretty scientific. Put simply, static electricity occurs when an electric charge builds up on top of various objects.

There are a lot of insulators which can build up static electricity within the home. Your carpets and even the soles of your slippers and shoes make great insulators. So if you walk on your carpet the built up static electricity can transfer to you via your shoes and your body will have nowhere to get rid of it. Once you touch a conductor such as a metal door knob, that’s when you receive a shock.

Preventing static electricity within the home

There are numerous ways you can reduce your chances of getting a shock in the colder months, but the best way is to use a humidifier to eliminate the dry air in your home.

A good quality humidifier will eliminate dry air which can also be an insulator. Ideally you should aim to make the humidity levels in the home above 30%. For best results aim to get the levels up to 40% or 50%. Humidifiers aren’t just great for reducing static electricity, they also come with a range of other health and comfort benefits too.

Of course, store-bought humidifiers can require a lot of daily upkeep to prevent mould and keep them running well. If you’re having a real problem with static shock this winter, a humidifier can be incorporated into your heating system to take care of the humidity level throughout your entire house.

Contact SSI today to learn more about how we can make your home more comfortable this winter!