Spring is finally upon us; the birds are nesting, the flowers blooming, and the dust bunnies are multiplying. Winter has kept many of us indoors for the past few months, and the dry air has helped dust accumulate in every corner of your home; including your computer.
Electronics are great for attracting dust and pet hair, unfortunately its not very good for them. Dirt and debris tend to clog vents and heat fins, making your device run hotter. Not only is heat bad for the longevity of your devices, but it can severely impact their speed and performance. An overheating computer can get sluggish, freeze, or even shut down unexpectedly. Over time running hotter will degrade the lifespan of components and can make a replacement necessary.
When you start your Spring Cleaning this year, here are a few tips to help out:
1. Remember to clean the vents on your devices. Check behind your TV for the things you have stashed back there as well. Your router, TV, computer, game consoles, and home theater equipment all need to be wiped down.
2. Make sure there is enough room for your devices to breathe properly. Allow at least two or three inches on the sides of your device, paying extra attention to any exposed vents.
3. Stacking devices may make things look neat and orderly, but it creates a tower of heat. The heat from the lowest device goes into the one above, and so on until your expensive gaming consoles become an oven.
The inside of your computer should also be cleaned one per year, to help remove that built up dust from sensitive components.
Warning: Static discharge can be extremely damaging to the insides of your computer! Only open the case of your computer if you feel comfortable working inside. We take no responsibility for damage caused to devices from the use of our guides.
Use a can of compressed air to gently remove pockets of accumulated dirt from the heat-sink, beneath the CPU fan. Make sure to give a blast to the RAM chips as well, to keep them from overheating. Use a pencil to hold the blades of the fans still as you give them a blast of air, the pencil prevents damage to the fan as you clean.
You can also consult with your local technician to get a thorough cleaning as part of your maintenance routine. We happily provide this service under Troubleshooting and Repair.