When the air is a little drier than usual, you might experience shocks when you touch the door knobs in your home. It can happen quite often, so you've probably wondered if door knobs are grounded or not. We looked into this, and here's what our research discovered.
The door knobs in many homes are typically made of metal, so they are great at conducting electricity. Door knobs are not grounded to the earth, which is why you feel an electric shock whenever you touch the surface.
It can come as a surprise when you feel these little zaps, but it is a normal occurrence, and there should be nothing to worry about. In this post, we'll also talk about ways to remove static electricity at home. We'll also discuss static electricity in our bodies, so keep reading and enjoy this post!
Are Door Knobs Grounded?
You've probably experienced a sudden zapping sensation before during the colder, drier winter season. It can be a quick zap you'll feel from the tips of your fingers, and it can catch you by surprise when you least expect it.
This is what we call static electricity. Static occurs when electric charges build up between two objects. When this happens, electrons jump from one object to another. When these negative-charged electrons come in contact with positive-charged electrons, you will most likely feel the electric current.
Most of the time, people experience this static discharge when they touch a metal door knob. Door knobs often have a positive charge, and our bodies are the opposite. When they come into contact with each other, a quick, electric current will flow from our body to the door knob.
This occurrence is normal because door knobs are not ground to the earth. The human body naturally collects static electricity, which causes these electric charges to flow. Everyone has a static charge, but some people may feel it more than others.
Do Some People Have More Static Electricity?
Sometimes, you may experience getting static shocks more than your friends do. Others may not even feel them at all. When this happens, people often wonder if some people store more static electricity in their body.
Static electricity is stored depending on the size of the body and feet. The thickness of the soles also affects the charge that the body stores. If you have a big body and a pair of big feet while wearing thin soles, you'll most likely store more electrostatic charge.
This is why sometimes you'll notice that thinner people don't feel as much electric shocks when they touch metal. They store less static which is why they don't pass as much charged electrons from surface to surface.
The way you move can also affect the static electricity in your body. If you constantly move and the fabric of your clothes are always rubbing together, it stores more charged electrons. A quick example of this is when you scuff your socked feet on the carpet before touching the door knob.
The friction immediately creates more charged electrons, and you'll undoubtedly feel that jolt in that scenario.
How To Ground Door Knobs
Generally speaking, there is no surefire way to ground door knobs to the earth, and luckily, these door knobs do not need to be grounded because they don't pass electricity as appliances do.
Since most door knobs are made of metal, they will always have a positive charge. While you can't ground a door knob, you can avoid getting zapped every time you open the door.
If you are walking across the room to get to the door, avoid scuffing your socks on the carpet to lessen the charge. It will also be better if you can wear thicker soles or shoes so that the fabric of your socks won't store more static electricity.
Another popular trick to ground yourself is touching the door with another metallic object. The stored static electricity from your body transfers to this metallic object. When the object finally touches the door knob, the electrons get transferred without you getting jolted.
You can also do the same process by touching a different surface before touching the door knob. It's the same principle and it will hopefully lessen the electric currents you feel.
How Do I Reduce Static Electricity?
Most people aren't too bothered by the electric jolt they feel whenever they touch their door knobs. However, there are people who do have more static energy in their bodies and are zapped more often. Most of the time, they're just about done with all that zapping.
Technically, the quickest way to reduce static electricity is by avoiding actions that store this energy. Consistent rubbing and scuffing fabrics is a surefire way to generate those electrons. However, this is easier being said than done.
There are also quick and easy solutions to reduce static electricity at home. Here are some of the best ways to reduce static electricity:
Anti-static solution
Check out this anti-static solution on Amazon.
One of the best ways to eliminate static in your home is by using an anti-static solution on high-friction surfaces. This solution prevents the electrons from being stored on the surface so it lessens the electric jolt you'll feel when you touch them.
To use this solution, you'll simply need to wipe it on high-friction areas. The anti-static solution is best used in areas where the electrostatic charge can cause combustion to the air surrounding you.
Anti-static spray
Grab this anti-static spray on Amazon.
Alternatively, you can also use an anti-static spray on different surfaces in your home. Similar to the anti-static solution, this spray will eliminate static electricity on most surfaces. This spray is fantastic at getting rid of static cling.
Of course, this anti-static spray works better on surfaces that constantly rub together like fabrics. Try using this on blankets, jackets, or coats that tend to gather more static energy. The spray also works on other hard surfaces, but the anti-static solution might be better suited for that.
Anti-static mat
Get this anti-static mat on Amazon.
If one of the problems you always have at home is a statically charged door knob, then this might be the perfect solution. One of the best ways to avoid these currents is by transferring the static energy to a different surface.
Anti-static mats work as a "grounding" surface for your body to transfer this energy to. When you step over the mat, most of the stored static electricity transfers to this surface which effectively removes the current you feel when you touch the door knob.
It's also best to wear thick-soled shoes with rubber soles to lessen the static energy in your body. This method will significantly lower the amount of static energy around you.
Wrapping Things Up
It can be quite a shock to get zapped every once in a while every time you touch a door knob. Keep yourselves "shock-free" when you open the door by grounding yourself by touching a different surface beforehand. That way, you won't get jolted by electric currents just to get out of your room.
Are you looking for more information about door knobs? We have a couple of articles that you might find interesting:
