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Getting Zapped By Too Much Static Electricity? Easy Ways To Take Charge

Controlling static electricity during winter often requires creativity and forethought. There are a number of low-cost strategies homeowners in the San Joaquin Valley can use to counteract the effects of winter dryness.

Getting zapped by static electricity isn’t fun. It can be painful and annoying. Simply put, a static charge accumulates when electric charges gather on a surface. Shuffle across a rug and touch an object with a static charge, and you’ll experience static electricity. The combination of dry air and cooler temperatures makes conditions ripe for static electricity. Here’s how to combat it:

  • Install a whole-house humidifier. Able to extend its reach into all of your living spaces, a whole-house humidifier restores moisture into the home, reducing the effects of dry air and increasing the warmth in your home  (a home with higher humidity levels feels warmer). In addition, with a properly humidified home, you won’t experience damaging effects of dry winter air such as warped wood or dry nasal passages.
  • Simmer water. This is a do-it-yourself method of emitting moisture into the home’s air supply. Simmering water on the stove will release moisture into the air; however, it’s not a comprehensive solution for restoring moisture to the entire home. You may still experience static electricity.
  • Add moisture. Plants hold and release moisture into the air, so strategically locating several potted plants throughout the home will reduce dryness to some degree, as will locating several bowls filled with water throughout the home.
  • Use dryer sheets. In the dryer cycle, adding dryer sheets to the loads reduces static electricity. You can also rub dryer sheets over clothing once it’s on to reduce static.
  • Restore moisture to your body. After a bath or shower, use lotion to give your body more moisture, which will reduce static electricity by acting as a barrier.

Take control over static electricity in your home this winter. For more information, contact Donald P. Dick Air Conditioning today. We serve homeowners in the Fresno area with quality HVAC services. Give us a call or visit our website for more information.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the greater Fresno, California area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about static electricity and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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