Image credit: Steve Buissinne, Pixabay
Electro-Static Discharge (ESD) is a term that has become synonymous with household dangers. But what exactly is it and how can you protect your home from it?
Electrostatic discharge, also known as static electricity, occurs when an electrical charge builds up in one area of a material and then travels through another material without passing through any other points of reference. Because of this, ESD poses a serious threat to electronic devices and other sensitive equipment in your home.
To reduce the risk of EESD, you need to know what kinds of things are safe for your personal space and what kinds of things should be kept away from children and pets.
Here’s everything you need to know about electrostatic discharge:
What is Electrostatic Discharge?
Electrostatic discharge is the sudden electrical charge created between two materials that are separated from each other by air. The charge can be transferred through solid materials, such as a carpet and a coffee table, and even through liquids, such as a sink full of water and a bowl of fruit.
Electrostatic discharge can damage expensive electronics, like your computer, and can also burn you if you touch something that’s been exposed to it.
Luckily, it’s easy to protect yourself and your family from ESD.
You can protect your computer and other sensitive electronics by keeping them away from metal: not only is metal conductive, but other materials, like rubber bands and plastic wrap, are also conductive. You can also protect your sensitive electronics with a conductive bag or sheet. Or implement other non-conductive materials in your home for Bondline protection against ESD.
Types of Electrostatic Discharge
There are two main types of ESD: contact and non-contact.
Contact ESD occurs when two materials come into contact with each other, like when you throw a piece of paper against a table. The paper creates a path for the electricity to travel through the table and into the paper, causing an electrostatic charge in the paper.
Non-contact ESD occurs when electricity builds up between two surfaces that are not in contact with each other. It can be caused by static electricity in the air separating two materials, such as your table and a carpet, or between surfaces like your skin and a carpet.
Ways to Protect Against Electrostatic Discharge
Before you even think about installing a home security system, you need to make sure your home is safe from ESD.
Here are a few quick tips to reduce the risk of ESD:
Keep Electrostatic Discharge Hazardous Substances Away from Your Home:
Protecting your home from ESD requires you to be cautious about what you bring into it. Electrostatic discharge can damage some expensive electronics and burn you if you touch something that’s been exposed to it. Make sure you keep hazardous substances and dangerous chemicals out of your home to protect your family from ESD.
Keep Electrostatic Discharge Contacts Away from Computers:
Most electronic devices are susceptible to ESD, including computers, microwaves, and sensitive medical equipment. Keeping these items away from your body and keeping your body away from them can help prevent damage. Keep your computer away from your body, use a conductive sleeve or bag when working with sensitive electronics, and avoid touching your computer’s metal parts directly. You should also avoid touching your computer’s plastic parts with your hands.
Keep Electrostatic Discharge Conductive Materials Away from Non-conductive Materials:
When you’re trying to keep ESD at bay, it’s important to keep materials away from each other. Make sure you keep conductive materials, like rubber bands and metal, away from non-conductive materials, like carpets and fabrics.
Image credit: Mohamed Hassan, Pixabay
