National Static Electricity Day is a holiday observed annually on January 9th that pays homage to the imbalance of electrical charges in or on a material, commonly known as static electricity. Although we don’t understand why anyone would create a holiday dedicated to this form of electricity, we’re more than eager to talk about how this holiday is celebrated and some of the fun things people can do on this day.

What Is Static Electricity?

Static electricity is an imbalance of electrical charges on or within a material. The charge remains until it can either move in the form of a current or be electrically discharged. This is different from current electricity, which flows from one place to another through conductors or wiring.

Electrifying Facts About Static Electricity

Want to know more about static electricity? If you do, then please take a few moments out of your time to check out the following facts that we’ve carefully collected and laid out below. While you might not find them shocking, we do think that you’ll find them electrifying.

• Static charges build up when two surfaces rub against one another, causing electrons to move from one surface to another.
• Static electricity can be used to temporarily light a light bulb. Just rub a balloon on your hair vigorously for two minutes, then hold a light bulb to the balloon.
• Lightning is considered a big version of static electricity.
• Static electricity can be created by rubbing a balloon on hair or silk on a glass rod or hair.
• Paint sprayers, photocopiers, and printers all use static electricity for their operation.
• Air and dust filters also work on the basis of static electricity.

How To Prevent Static Electricity

Now that we’ve covered the basic facts behind static electricity, let’s find out how you can prevent it from building up in your home. Although static electricity is a fascinating force of nature, it can also damage electronics in a home, so you might want to take the following steps to avoid it accumulating in your home.

Use A Humidifier In The Winter

Although there is plenty of moisture in the air during the summertime to prevent static electricity in your home, the winter months are a different story. Winter air is dry, and that can allow static electricity to build up. To avoid this problem, buy a quality humidifier and use it during the winter months. Remember, humid air conducts electricity better than dry air, so it prevents electricity from building up.

Treat Your Carpet & Use Dryer Sheets For Upholstery

The next thing you can do is to have an anti-static treatment applied to your rugs and carpets. Once that’s been done, use some dryer sheets to rub on your furniture’s upholstery. That will reduce the static buildup on these surfaces.

Observing National Static Electricity Day

National Static Electricity Day can be observed by learning more about static electricity and how to avoid it, by making your own static electricity using your hair and a balloon, or by simply posting #NationalStaticElectricityDay on your social media accounts.