During winter months, especially when running the heating and air system, the air is much drier. This dryness creates unwanted static electricity when running heating and air equipment in your Atlanta, GA home. Tired of shocks when you touch surfaces or even your loved ones? Estes Services is here to alleviate your dry air and static shock issues!
What Causes Static Electricity?
Static electricity is constantly created as atoms charge when items make contact, passing electrons around. In the winter, static electricity is much higher because air is drier. Dry air allows static electricity to build up indoors.
In the summertime, moisture within the air works to dissipate the electrons our bodies pick up when moving about. In the winter, static charge easily clings to your body, resulting in shocks when your body connects with items and people.
Heating and air systems are responsible for controlling moisture within your home. In the winter, heating systems run heavily to produce warm air for comfort. The use of furnaces to produce heat also contribute to dryness in the home, removing more moisture from already naturally dry air.
Heating and Air Solutions for Static Electricity
To combat winter dryness and static electricity indoors, you need the right heating and air solutions. Estes Services recommends the following solutions to balance indoor moisture levels and help you avoid the dreaded static shock this winter.
Heating and air maintenance
Did you have your heating system tuned up before heating season? If not, your furnace may not be performing at its best, creating more dryness in your home. It’s not too late to schedule a tune-up – our NATE-certified technicians provide the care your heating and air system needs to work properly, doing its part to maintain moisture indoors.
Humidifiers
The natural dryness and increased dryness caused by heating system use put relative humidity levels indoors well below where they should be. Installing a humidifier to work with your heating and air equipment produces the extra moisture your home needs to remedy static.
Humidifiers add moisture to the air passing through your heating and air equipment, which is then circulated back into your living areas for balanced relative humidity levels.
Additionally, humidifiers help reduce annoying dry air symptoms such as dry skin, sinus irritations, respiratory irritations, and increased winter illness risks. Indoor humidity levels should be kept within 35 to 50 percent throughout the year.
Other Ways to Alleviate Static Electricity and Shocks
In addition to heating and air solutions, these tips help prevent static shocks throughout the winter:
- Wear clothing made of natural fibers. Synthetic fibers have a tendency to pick up static electricity more easily than natural fibers do.
- Use anti-static lotions to prevent dry skin while avoiding picking up static charges as you touch surfaces when you move about your home.
- Go barefoot indoors to reduce static charge to your body. Covering your footwear with aluminum foil offers the same effect, but going barefoot is much easier and more fashionable.
- Use anti-static products such as floor mats, wristbands, and anti-static sprays that reduce static buildup and control accidental static shocks.
Avoid annoying and painful static shocks this season with heating and air solutions from Estes Services. Contact us today and control moisture as well as static energy in your home!
