Static shock shorting t-stats
Hi guys. Have any of you ever had problems with static electricity ruining thermostats. Ive had two call in the last month were the homeowner said they got a static shock from the thermostat, and on one the stat just went blank, and on the other everything appeard normal, but the call for heat had shorted in the stat causing the furnace to run nonstop. Niether stats had internal fuses, but I'm surprised the low voltage fuse on the control board wouldn't blow first. Actually, I'm surprised that a static shock would cause the digital stat to malfunction, but now I've seen it. Is this a fluke, or is this a common problem. It the first time I've seen it in over ten years, or it may be the first time the homeowner mentioned getting a shock. Im not really two worried about it, just curiouse. I did mention to the homeowners that they could touch something metal near the stat to discharge the static before touching the stat.
Also, one house had brand new carpet causing static, and the other folks said they just got new bed linens and had been having fun watching the tiney sparks as they were in bed(sounds like they were having fun).