From uncontrollable hair to the sting of a shock, static electricity is virtually impossible to avoid in winter.
Cool, dry air creates a static electricity problem that is noticeably more prevalent during the winter months than in the summer.
Static occurs more in the winter because the atmosphere is drier and the dew point is lower
said Ohio University geography professor Ron Isaac.
The potential for static buildup happens year-round, said OU physics professor David Ingram.
The process for static buildup is always there Ingram said, but in the dry winter air the process of getting rid of the buildup is not.
Ingram said that though our bodies generate the static electricity that can lead to a shock, you can't build up enough charge on your body to really harm yourself.
If you see a spark that is one millimeter long
it is about 3
000 volts
but the current is low
so it isn't harmful
Ingram said.
The best way to combat the shock is to keep air moist.
Add a humidifier to your furnace system or buy a stand-alone humidifier to add moisture to the air
he said.
Ingram said there are certain chemicals that can be added to washers to keep clothes from being full of static, but that it still will not prevent the problem entirely.
Some people, such as OU juniors Maria McPhail and Lauren Wulker, have devised home remedies for dealing with static electricity.
If it's on your coat
you can just rub off the static
Wulker said.
McPhail recommended taking a dryer sheet and rubbing it over clothes to try to lessen static cling.
And don't drag your feet
