Taking Care Of Your Computer

Is your computer getting enough air circulation? You will be surprised how much dust, human hair and pet hair computers can suck up over the years. Even though it is common sense that a computer needs to be dusted often, very few people actually do it. Keeping your computer dust free is one of the simplest non technical things you can do to help keep your computer running smoothly.

When there is too much dust inside the computer’s case, it becomes hard for the computer to get the air circulation that it needs to keep the CPU (central processing unit) cool. When this happens, your computer can be at risk of overheating. Overheating causes damage to the computer’s mother board which will then have to be replaced. All this can be avoided by simply making sure that your computer is getting enough air circulation. Here is how you can make sure that your desktop computer is getting enough air circulation:

• First, you will need to get canned air. You can find this in most stores that sells computer stuff.
• Once you get the canned air, you need to turn off your computer and unplug everything (if you can) and take the computer outside. If you can’t, unplug the power cord at least.
• Open the case by undoing the two screws that hold the lid in place.
• Read the directions on the canned air and make sure you understand them. Hold the can of canned air in an upright position and blow the dust out. Always keep the can in an upright position, otherwise it will spray out liquid instead of air. This is why it’s good to unplug the computer first.
• When the can is getting cold in your hand, stop blowing and give it a rest. If you continue blowing dust with the can after it gets cold and even watery on the surface, it will start spraying out liquid as well.
• Once your desktop is dust free, you can put the lid back and take your computer back inside. Vacuum around the computer’s usual location as needed and get everything reconnected.
Your computer may even run quieter after this simple computer maintenance process. Dust balls and pet hair usually make the fans work twice as much to try and keep the computer cool. So dusting the computer pays off in more ways than one.

With laptops you have to just turn it off and blow the air vents with the canned air. You may see a cloud of dust at first, so following the instruction for using canned air, blow the dust out until there is no more.

Even though laptops are meant to be used on the lap, I have found that placing a laptop on the lap can be damaging to it. You can feel the increasing heat due to poor air circulation as the fabric chokes the air vents. I personally recommend using a laptop stand or cooling pad rather than placing the laptop directly on the lap. I have also found it beneficial to avoid the following habits in order to keep a laptop well ventilated:
• Avoid using a laptop on top of blankets or any soft cover that restrict circulation.
• Avoid placing a laptop on a surface where it can pick up pet hair or human hair. The tiny fan inside a laptop can easily be stopped by hair coiling around the fan.
The trick is to keep in mind that laptops pull air from the bottom to keep themselves cool and avoid blocking the fan. Making sure that your machine is getting good air circulation can help to prolong the life of the mother board and even the hard drive. That in turn will save you money in the long run. I hope you found this information useful.