Short circuiting
Short circuiting
You're wise to double-check, especially with new components. Short circuits on a motherboard are indeed a common concern, but it's good you checked ahead of time. Since you didn't find any Reddit discussions about this specific issue, proceed with caution and follow proper precautions during assembly.
It seems like you're dealing with a typical keyboard fright issue—mostly related to static buildup. There are several ways to protect yourself, depending on how much static accumulates and what materials you're using. A common solution is an antistatic bracelet connected to your case. A more costly option is an antistatic work mat. Wearing thin latex gloves (non-powdered) can also help.
Antistatic risks are really overstated, I don’t care where I place my boards or handle them properly, yet they still work fine. I sometimes toss them on my bed without any antistatic measures. Shorting is uncommon; it usually means a faulty component or intentional damage (like connecting 12V to ground). It often causes the board to fail and the shorted section gets extremely hot, but occasionally if it works at all it can spark—something I witnessed with a p7p55d-e that had a VRM short. I’m not sure if I used a drill and just punched through the short spot, leaving only the VMs exposed.