At SelecTech, we design and manufacture several types of ESD flooring products. Because we have spent decades in this industry, we’ve fielded a lot of questions and refuted a lot of false claims about static control flooring. However, we don’t see this as a bad thing. We love educating our customers about our products and sharing facts about ESD products. In these conversations, we’ve learned quite a bit about what people know (or think they know) about ESD, and we’ve become adept at explaining what our products do and dispelling misconceptions.
How much do you understand about how ESD products work? In this article, we’re busting five myths about static control flooring.
Static control flooring gets rid of all static electricity.
As much as we wish it were true, our products would be truly miraculous if they completely got rid of static electricity. Static control flooring does precisely that: it controls the electrostatic discharge to make your workspace safe and protect your equipment.
ESD flooring is only necessary in the winter.
While it’s true that static electricity is more of a problem when the air is drier, it’s present year-round. Have you ever jumped on a trampoline and experienced static buildup, even on a humid summer day? While those conditions are unusual in workspaces that need ESD flooring, it illustrates that static electricity is always present, so static control flooring is far from a seasonal need.
Taking your shoes off prevents static buildup.
Removing your shoes may slow the buildup of static electricity, but it doesn’t stop it entirely. Sometimes, it can even make it worse. Have you ever gotten a static shock after walking across the carpet in your socks? That can create a pretty intense shock. The best way to control static is to use ESD flooring and footwear together.
Static damage only happens on contact.
Simple movements create a lot of static, and it doesn’t take much to build up. We can even generate static fields around our bodies that can damage equipment without any physical contact. Electricity is looking for the fastest path to the ground, and it won’t wait for you to make contact with a surface if it doesn’t have to.
Small businesses can’t afford ESD floors.
That may have been true before, but not now! With StaticStop products from SelecTech, businesses of all sizes can access the ESD products they need to protect their equipment and employees from static electricity.
