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In our short Static Bursts podcast episodes, we discuss all aspects of static-control (ESD) flooring. We provide case studies with emphasis on problems we’ve encountered in the field – and discuss how the problem was resolved and why the solution worked. We provide up-to-date news and technical information, and occasionally dedicate a podcast to answering specific ESD flooring questions from architects and contractors and facilities owners/managers.
Static Bursts is hosted by Dave Long, founder and president of StaticWorx, Inc. If you need help or would like to talk with Dave or one of our technical reps, give us a call: 617-923-2000.
If you have a question you’d like us to address, get in touch here.
Latest Episodes
Meet Your Host: Dave Long
Episode 21: Installing ESD Flooring: Avoiding Pitfalls (Part 2)
ESD flooring costs. To avoid unexpected expenses later, it’s crucial to factor installation, maintenance & repair & test new floors after installation.
The cost of flooring materials is only part of the total cost of ownership. To calculate the long-term cost of owning a floor, consider installation, maintenance, repairs, and downtime required for maintenance and repair. Aesthetics are another consideration. this podcast, Dave and Rick describe scenarios that occur when people base flooring decisions solely on the cost of the material. Dave also explains why it’s crucial to test an ESD floor immediately after it’s been installed.
Submit a Podcast Topic
Is there a topic you’d like to hear us cover on Static Bursts? Call 617-923-2000, email [email protected], or complete our quick and easy contact form.
Episode 20: Pitfalls of ESD Flooring Selection: How to Avoid Flooring Failure (Part 1)
Pairing the wrong ESD floor/application can lead to flooring failure. We explain factors to consider, why each is important, and how to avoid mistakes.
Three fundamental mistakes account for a majority of ESD flooring failures: selecting the wrong floor for the application: failure to consider total cost of ownership; failing to test the floor after it’s been installed. Avoiding these mistakes helps ensure success. This first of a two-part series on avoiding ESD flooring failures explains why it’s important to select a floor based on the specific application and details the primary considerations that should be taken into account: assessing the type of footwear people will wear in the space and considering goals and objectives, including how the space will be used.
All Episodes
- All
- ESD Basics
- ESD Products
- For Architects and Designers
- Installation
- Maintenance and Cleaning
- Selecting an ESD Floor
- Standards and Test Methods
#1: Avoid Failures: Installing Static-control Flooring Over Concrete
Moisture problems are the #1 cause of failed flooring installations. Often the result of aquifers or other environmental conditions, moisture may be invisible. So how do you know if you have a moisture problem? How do you fix the problem? What happens if you choose to ignore moisture readings? If you’re in a 24/7 operational facility, such as a call or data center, a police station, a flight tower or other critical space, how do you solve a moisture problem – adhesive breakdown, for example – without shutting down or compromising your core mission? Dave Long, president of Staticworx, Inc., discusses these and other issues related to mitigating moisture in new construction, renovations, and occupied workspaces.
#2: Static-Dissipative versus Conductive Flooring
Why Do You Recommend Static-Dissipative Flooring For Some Applications & Conductive For Others?
Shouldn’t both types of flooring work for any application? No, because electrical standards vary by industry.In episode 2 of Static Bursts, Dave and Rick discuss the technical difference between static-dissipative and conductive floors. Standards for flight towers, communications facilities and other end-user applications require flooring with electrical resistance measuring between 1.0 x 10E6 and 1.0 x 10E9. Standards for electronics manufacturing, however, allow for any floor measuring below 1.0 x 10E9. Dave explains why it’s important to know and follow industry standards for the specific application where the ESD floor will be installed.
#3: Why Resistance Tests Alone Are Not Enough to Properly Qualify An ESD Floor
How can you predict whether an ESD flooring material will perform in your workspace? What tests should you do to qualify the floor & why does it matter how the tests are performed? In 2014, ESD standard S20.20 changed to include point-to-point and system resistance tests as well as walking body voltage tests. Learn why these tests matter, what they entail, how to perform the tests properly, and why it’s crucial to evaluate the flooring-footwear combination. Dave Long, president of Staticworx, discusses a process called the Qualification Phase – i.e., the tests that should be performed on flooring materials under consideration, before you select an ESD floor.
#4: Avoiding Problems When Installing ESD flooring Over Existing Surfaces
New floors are typically installed over the following pre-existing surfaces: VCT (vinyl composition tile), VAT (vinyl asbestos tile), or coatings over concrete. While it is possible and sometimes preferable to install a new floor directly over an old surface, a number of steps should be taken to ensure that the new floor does not fail. The steps including destructive testing to determine whether the bond between the existing surface and subfloor (or existing surfaces) is intact and exactly what lies below the current surface – subfloor? Old tile or coating? Layers of tiles? – as well as testing for asbestos and other regulated chemicals. Dave Long and Rick Frauton discuss situations in which companies have run into trouble, installing new flooring over old, and explain the steps necessary to avoid similar problems.
#5:Hidden Costs of Flooring Installations (Part I) – Vapor in the Concrete
Moisture or vapor in the concrete subfloor can cause your floor to fail, resulting in serious costs down the line – in some cases, vacating the premises and installing a new floor. People often assume, falsely, that in arid climates, moisture is non-existent. In this episode, Dave and Rick discuss what happens when people fail to do their due diligence (perform moisture tests or ignore readings), and offers advice on how to avoid costly problems.
#6:Hidden Costs of ESD Flooring (Part II) – Maintenance and Repair
How do you calculate the actual (full) cost of an ESD floor? Upfront costs for material and installation are only part of the total expenditure. To evaluate the actual, long-term cost of an ESD floor, it’s important to consider the costs of maintenance and repair. In this episode of Static Bursts, Dave and Rick discuss maintenance and repair of ESD epoxy, vinyl, carpet and rubber flooring and what you can expect from each flooring material.
#7:Installing ESD Flooring in a 24/7 Facility Without Disrupting Operations
Installing a floor in a 24/7 operational facility comes with its own set of challenges. As with any flooring installation, it’s important to consider logistics: Will chemicals be used? Adhesives? Coatings? Are there toxins or odors to deal with? What is the condition of the current floor or subfloor? Will the old floor require removal? Dave and Rick discuss the optimal way to install an ESD floor in 24/7 operational spaces – without adhesive or chemicals and with neither downtime nor disruption.
#8:The Evolution of ESD Epoxy
From Cheap Black Paint to High-performance, Easy-to-Clean Generation Three Coatings
ESD Epoxy coatings have evolved over the years to meet the needs of different industries. Generation 1 coatings, consisting of a single layer of black paint, were cheap, easy to repair and ugly. Today’s Generation 3 epoxy coatings are attractive, easy to install and repair, and offer significant improvements in ESD performance. In this podcast, Dave and Rick discuss the history and evolution of ESD epoxy coatings – from their introduction in the 1950s, through improvements in Gen 2 coatings, to the high-performance Gen 3 coatings available today.
#9: How to Write Specifications for Static-Control Flooring
In this three-minute episode, Dave and Rick discuss how to write specifications for ESD flooring. Learn why you should never rely solely on technical specifications provided by ESD flooring manufacturers and how properly write specs that comply with industry ESD standards.
#10: ESD Flooring and Electrical Safety
In this episode, Dave and Rick discuss ESD floors and electrical safety. At some point when discussing grounded conductive floors, the question of safety always arises, along with whether or not grounding a conductive floor puts people in harm’s way. Referring to an actual case study, Dave talks about a situation in which a floor installed for the FAA was too conductive to meet the FAA safety standards. The client had been told that drying the pressure-sensitive adhesive would solve the problem, making the entire floor less conductive. Dave talks about why this is not true, and why it’s extremely important to adhere to electrical standards as they are written.
#11: What is ESD Flooring and How Does It Work?
ESD flooring is a generic term. In this episode, Dave and Rick discuss what people mean by ESD flooring. Dave provides a basic tutorial on how ESD floors work, and why – rather than relying on a manufacturer’s spec sheet – it’s crucial to test the electrical properties of any ESD floor under consideration.
#12: Hidden Costs of Flooring Installations (Part III): ESD Carpet Durability
ESD carpet can be an ideal floor for many different spaces, particularly for critical 24/7 operations where a soft walking surface and/or sound attenuation is necessary or desired. Carpet is also attractive and, compared to certain higher-cost materials, reasonably priced. There are, however, hidden costs buyers should be aware of before selecting ESD carpeting. In this podcast, Dave and Rick discuss the reasons carpet construction, fiber geometry, modification ratio and carpet design are crucial for understanding the real cost of ESD carpet.
#13: Why One Type of ESD Flooring Doesn’t Fit All Applications
In this short 3-minute podcast episode, Dave and Rick talk about why no single type of ESD flooring material is suitable for every application. Flooring materials like ESD vinyl must be used in conjunction with sapecial ESD footwear. Those materials are unsuitable for facilities in which personnel wear regular street shoes. In spaces where street shoes are allowed – data centers, 9-1-1 call centers and government offices, for instance – the ESD floor must dissipate static to ground and also inhibit static generation in the first place.
#14: How Adhesives Impact the Cost of ESD Flooring Installations
Three types of conductive adhesives are typically used to install ESD floors: epoxy, acrylic, and pressure-sensitive. Each adhesive has advantages and disadvantages. Dave explains the differences, details pros and cons, and discusses why – and in what circumstances – one adhesive might be preferable over another. The fourth option is to choose a glue-free installation, such as interlocking ESD tiles. Interlocking tiles are chemical-free, have no fumes or mess, and can be installed in a functional workspace without disrupting operations
#15: The Importance of Qualifying ESD Flooring
Properly qualifying an ESD floor requires more than testing for electrical resistance. We used to believe that the conductivity of a floor predicted its potential for static charge generation. We now know that resistance and charge generation are independent qualities: one does not relate to the other. A floor can be conductive and still generate static electricity. We also know that flooring materials perform differently with different types of footwear. In this episode, Dave and Rick discuss why it’s important to test the floor as part of an integrated ESD flooring/footwear system – and to test for both conductivity and charge generation.
#16: ESD Chairs: A Bridge Between Two Perfect Methods of Grounding
In this episode, Dave and Rick explain how ESD chairs work and why they act as a bridge between two perfect methods of grounding (an ESD floor and wrist strap). The ESD floor grounds and prevents charge generation while people walk. Once the person sits and lifts his or her feet, they are no longer grounded. There may be a wrist strap at the work station, but until the person puts it on they’re a live wire. If they touch a component – or expensive prototype, for example – before putting on the wrist strap, any charge on their body will transfer to the component. ESD chairs ground the person in the chair, prevent charge generation and protecting against random ESD events.
#17: Case Study – Replacing a Failing Floor Without Losing Production Time
StaticWorx was asked to evaluate a failing floor in an electronics manufacturing facility. After a fire the client had purchased a new ESD vinyl tile floor. Three months into the installation the floor was already lifting. In addition to unmitigated vapor, the building had been built using tilt-up construction. Silicone bond-breakers – sprayed on the concrete to keep the wall slabs from adhering to the subfloor – contaminated the concrete, preventing the tile from adhering properly. As the building was operational and the client wanted to avoid shutdown, Dave recommended interlocking ESD vinyl tile. StaticWorx installed a 10’ x 10’ test patch. Two months later, the interlocking floor was intact. StaticWorx covered the entire floor in the operational facility with interlocking vinyl tile – without the client’s losing a day of production.
#18: ESD Flooring Selection (Part 1)
Most people looking to purchase an ESD floor are starting at ground zero, with little knowledge about the product. In this two part series, Dave and Rick discuss the key criteria for selecting an ESD floor. Part one covers the application (environment and work performed in the space); aesthetics; installation methods; and maintenance requirements.
#19: ESD Flooring Selection (Part 2)
When choosing an ESD floor, it’s important to consider all the variables related to your specific application. Will you roll heavy loads on the floor? Do you need noise attenuation, anti-fatigue characteristics, or reflectivity? How long do you plan to stay in the building? When evaluating options, remember that the cost per square foot is only one part of the total cost of owning the floor. Installation, labor, maintenance, operational downtime add up – in the short term as well as over time.
#20: The Pitfalls of ESD Flooring Selection: How to Avoid Flooring Failure (Part 1)
Three fundamental mistakes account for a majority of ESD flooring failures: selecting the wrong floor for the application: failure to consider total cost of ownership; failing to test the floor after it’s been installed. Avoiding these mistakes helps ensure success. This first of a two-part series on avoiding ESD flooring failures explains why it’s important to select a floor based on the specific application and details the primary considerations that should be taken into account: assessing the type of footwear people will wear in the space and considering goals and objectives, including how the space will be used.
#21: Installing ESD Flooring: Avoiding Pitfalls (Part 2)
The cost of flooring materials is only part of the total cost of ownership. To calculate the long-term cost of owning a floor, consider installation, maintenance, repairs, and downtime required for maintenance and repair. Aesthetics are another consideration. this podcast, Dave and Rick describe scenarios that occur when people base flooring decisions solely on the cost of the material. Dave also explains why it’s crucial to test an ESD floor immediately after it’s been installed.
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StaticWorx high-performance static-control floors protect electronic components, explosives, and high-speed computers from damage caused by static electricity. ESD flooring is part of a system. Choices should always be based on objective, researched evidence. When you partner with us, we look at all possible items that may need to integrate with the floor, and, focusing on your goals and objectives, help you find the right floor for your application.
StaticWorx high-performance static-control floors protect electronic components, explosives, and high-speed computers from damage caused by static electricity. ESD flooring is part of a system. Choices should always be based on objective, researched evidence. When you partner with us, we look at all possible items that may need to integrate with the floor, and, focusing on your goals and objectives, help you find the right floor for your application.
Vermont Collection/ESD Planx
“I’m so glad we were able to find an attractive solution that didn’t leave us with some run-of-the-mill ugly disaster.”
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Get in Touch
East Coast: 617-923-2000
Email: [email protected]
We accept these major credit cards.
The FAA has updated its standard for facilities and electronic equipment. StaticWorx meets all requirements for ESD flooring.
Flooring Products
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Vermont Collection/ESD Planx
“I’m so glad we were able to find an attractive solution that didn’t leave us with some run-of-the-mill ugly disaster.”
Share This
Get in Touch
East Coast: 617-923-2000
Email: [email protected]
We accept these major credit cards.
The FAA has updated its standard for facilities and electronic equipment. StaticWorx meets all requirements for ESD flooring.
Flooring Products
subscribe to newsletter
Sign up for our newsletter and occasional updates.
Flooring Products
We accept these major credit cards.
The FAA has updated its standard for facilities and electronic equipment. StaticWorx meets all requirements for ESD flooring.
Share This
Get in Touch
East Coast: 617-923-2000
Email: [email protected]
“I’m so glad we were able to find an attractive solution that didn’t leave us with some run-of-the-mill ugly disaster.”
subscribe to newsletter
Sign up for our newsletter and occasional updates.
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