Carpet Antistatic Treatment

Preventing static electric discharge

Electrostatic discharge is a really unpleasant experience – especially during the winter months or when dryness is at its peak with heating or air-conditioning systems running full blast. An effective way of controlling the problem starts with carpet anti-static treatment.

Static build-up can be reduced to the point where shocks are no longer noticeable by use of an anti-static agent applied directly onto the carpet. The problem is often confined to specific areas, notably around photocopying machines, printers and metallic surfaces such as filing cabinets and airflow heating outlets.

Why do I get shocks when I touch a door handle or filing cabinet?

Many people ask about shocks experienced when they touch a door handle, filing cabinet, lift, or other metal object. One of the biggest causes of static electric shock in modern commercial buildings is high nylon content in carpets. Nylon and polypropylene carpeting has a tendency to allow static electricity to build-up, particularly during the winter months when the relative humidity is very low. The result is an electrical discharge or shock when anything conductive is touched while standing on the carpet. A carpet containing nylon or polypropylene is a sure way to generate a painful static electric shock!

Static electricity within the workplace is predominately created by surface friction – movement between carpet fibres -caused by constant foot traffic and output from electrical mechanical equipment such as printers, and photocopying machines. Made worse with heating and air conditioning systems creating a dryer environment.

Why do I experience static electric shock and my colleagues don’t?

There are many reasons why this might happen but basically some people are more sensitive to shocks than others. For most people the threshold for feeling shocks is in the range of 5,000 to 15,000 volts.

Some shoes have highly insulating rubber soles and some shoes are made from highly conductive material. As you walk, static charges can build up on your shoes which will eventually discharge with an unpleasant static electric shock.

Synthetic clothing containing material such as polyester is a contributing factor, and two cotton fabrics when rubbed together can also generate a powerful electron charge. However, the main culprits are carpets containing nylon and polypropylene fibre (commercial carpet tiles) which are capable of storing massive amounts of static electricity.

Anti-Static Cleaning and Treatment

Professionally applied non-sticky spray coating consisting of a conducting polymer which helps reduce, or in most cases eliminates and controls static electric shock! For best results, treatment should be applied after carpet deep cleaning with Host Dry Extraction. New carpet installations should be power vacuumed prior to treatment.

Treatment should be applied to the whole carpeted area, and normally only one or two applications of anti-static treatment are required per year. Spot treatment to isolated zones doesn’t prove to be effective – we recommend treating the entire carpet installation – wall to wall.

How it Works….

Carpet anti-static treatment works in much the same way as washing detergents do containing additives such as fabric conditioner – reducing surface friction by softening the fibres and preventing them from conducting a static electric charge. They also work by allowing the fabric to retain a small amount of moisture, which helps fibres to retain electricity rather than releasing static discharge.