What to Do About Those Jolts From Static Electricity

When winter sets in, folks in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, and the surrounding communities often get a big shock from high fuel bills. Smaller shocks come from unexpected sources such as touching a doorknob or rubbing a towel against your hair. These small jolts come from static electricity, defined as the imbalance of negative and positive charges between two objects. Often these shocks are surprising but not harmful. In some situations, such as working with electronic equipment, static electricity can damage appliances or give users an unpleasantly large jolt. There are simple ways to control static electricity. As odd as it sounds, your heating, ventilation and air conditioner contractor may provide the best solution.

Humidity and Comfort

Indoor heat sources such as electric heaters and gas furnaces dry the air. Proper moisture levels help keep the living space more comfortable. Too much moisture causes the air to feel clammy. In addition, too much moisture contributes to mold growth in air conditioning ducts, in building materials and on textiles and furniture. Too little moisture causes the air to be dry, which produces unpleasant results such as dry skin, irritation of nasal passages and static electricity.

Properly maintained indoor air includes humidity control. The American Industrial Hygiene Association recommends keeping relative humidity levels between 30 and 60 percent as part of a good indoor air quality program. Experienced HVAC contractors use industry standards to determine comfortable indoor moisture and temperature levels.

About Assurance Heating and Air Conditioning

Assurance Heating and Air Conditioning provides a full range of HVAC services including new installations, preventive maintenance and 24-hour emergency services. Our indoor air quality program includes air quality testing, evaluation of the indoor air of your home and an assessment of your HVAC system. We recommend products that improve indoor air quality including dehumidifiers for the summer months, humidifiers, ventilators and carbon monoxide alarms to ensure that dangerous gases do not accumulate in your living space.

For more information about our indoor air quality services and how to keep moisture levels within comfortable limits, call (847) 388-0316 and speak to one of our technicians.