The 2 biggest killers of computers are Power Problems and Heat. All I’ll say about avoiding power problems in this article is to get an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS). You can think of a UPS as a big surge suppressor with a battery that makes it own power. It only needs to be plugged-in to keep the battery charged. When you lose power, you won’t even see your screen blink. A 350W UPS is big enough for 1 computer and should cost just under $50. But lets talk a bit about heat and computers.
Does Your Computer Have a Fever?
Without getting into the scientific reasons how heat can damage electronics, I think most people agree that it is common knowledge that heat is bad for electronics. Watch the video below to see what dust, carpet fibers, dead skin, pet hair and whatever can do to your computer. Dirt = Heat.
The location of your computer is important, below are a few ideas:
- Keep computer at least 6 inches away from the wall
- If installed in a cabinet, make sure there is a vent cutout behind the computer
- Don’t allow clutter to build-up near intake and exhaust vents
The items above are easy to take care of and are common sense, but now comes the work part which needs to be done about twice a year.
- Keep the interior of your computer clean!
- Clean intake vents behind the front panel bezel
- Clean CPU Heat Sink and Fan blades
- Clean Case Fan Blades
- Clean Exhaust vents at rear of case
The items above can be done with a brush & canned air, and some Q-tips for the fan blades. As for cleaning behind the front panel bezel, you will have to figure out how to release the plastic latches to remove the cover. I suggest you shut-down your computer and disconnect the power cord for safety when cleaning your computer. It is also a good time to visually inspect the internal components and make sure nothing appears loose.
Don’t be alarmed if you see a few connectors that are not connected, they are probably just extras. But if you are concerned about something you think may be wrong, don’t hesitate to call a technician. It is not a bad thing to establish a relationship with a nearby shop. In our computer age, you will be dealing with one sooner or later. Better before your problem gets too bad and too expensive to fix for your budget, as well as risking your data.
