Static

[amplify420]

Hello, I am a first time builder. What are some tips to stay grounded without a ESD Safety Strap?

[dalekphalm]

2 minutes ago, amplify420 said:

Hello, I am a first time builder. What are some tips to stay grounded without a ESD Safety Strap?

Touching some exposed metal will help. Some would suggest touching the case chassis, but technically that's only grounded if the PSU is plugged into a wall outlet (The case gets grounded to the PSU, and the PSU gets grounded to the wall outlet).

[NineEyeRon]

Build without socks on

[dalekphalm]

Just now, NineEyeRon said:

Build without socks on

That won't help you stay grounded - but it will help alleviate the need to be grounded somewhat, as socks can introduce static build-up.

 

Note: if you're not building on carpet, socks vs no socks will make next to no difference.

[Guest]

wear some shoes with gum soles

touch anything metallic that is plugged in a socket (like a lamp, the fridge, the washing machine, etc. ).

get an antistatic gum mat (you put that under your dest and roll on it with your desk chair)

heel grounders (not expensive on amazon.com)

[greenhorn]

You can touch anything connected to ground, that includes any electric appliances with a ground connector and conductive casings and in most cases also radiators/pipes of your central heating system (if present) and water pipes (if made out of metal).
Touching lamps won't always work, even if they have a metallic housing, since they are not always grounded (in that case they have a power plug with only two connectors).

When building the PC, you can place the motherboard on top of the cardboard box it came in. Other components can be placed on wooden floors or tiled floors (avoid textiles and plastic surfaces/objects). If you want to place components on metallic objects, make sure to ground them first.