[SOLVED] static, shock, grounded

[MeepKid]

It'd a shame to ask this but I'm Curious. I have really old dirty carpet. It's so bad I Personally think it's a source to ground my self when Working with electronics.

Can this statement can be true?

We are planning on replace it with wood in a very near Future to not worry about this shame.

Can my old dirty carpet a source of ground if it's that bad?

 

[MeanMachine41]

Hi MeepKid

Carpet can and will generate static electricity which can and will discharge thru Hardware in your system.
Wooden floors are excellent for preventing static.
The safe way to prevent static is to wear an antistatic wrist strap hooked to the chassis of your PC.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Your old carpet might be a source of STATIC, but it's definitely not a good source of ground.

Good grounds consist of metal devices like your PC case, a lamp, etc., that are plugged into an appropriately grounded outlet, so that touching them discharges any static build up. Really, that is all that is necessary.

Replacing the carpet with wood may HELP to reduce any static charge problems you might have when working in a carpeted room, but it also doesn't necessarily completely eliminate them either since there are other ways for static charge to build up besides just walking on carpet. If you suspect you have a static charge problem in the environment you are working on a system in, it is always a good idea to touch something metal that is grounded before handling those components. Ground straps are ok too, but are not purely necessary.