Clean Computers

When it comes to computers, all most people tend to think about is the stuff they see on the screen - the software. Most of tend to neglect the computer itself.

People invariably feel they know nothing about the inside so there's nothing they can do.  But there is a simple procedure you can perform that will help make your PC last longer: KEEP IT CLEAN!

No matter how clean you keep your house or office, static electricity inside your computer attracts a lot of dust.  Dust doesn't affect any of the solid state components in the computer, but it WILL clog up the fans that keep those components cool.  If your computer runs hotter than it should, it will shorten its life.

We recommend that you open your computer's case (unplug it first) at least once every 6 months or so and blow it out with canned air (you can get it at any office supply store, Wal-Mart, Sam's etc). Of course, be careful not to disconnect or damage anything. Make sure you blow out the power supply (DO NOT open up the power supply unit) and the CPU fan too. Since all this dusting can make a mess, you may want to do it outside.

Here's a shot of one of my dirty old PCs. This one uses a Pentium III processor, so its CPU fan is vertical in orientation. Your CPU fan may be flat on the board.

Also, make sure you keep your can of compressed air upright. The propellant inside tends to come out when the can is inverted or at an angle, so be careful.

If you have some kind of good "mini-vacuum" that would be OK too. In fact, some would argue vacuums are better because compressed air can force dust deeper into the cracks and crevices of your computer.

For many though, canned air is probably still a better option for a several reasons.

1. Most mini vacuums aren't any good. They seldom seem to be able to remove much of the dust.  And there are a lot of places that even small attachments just can't seem to reach.

2. If a vacuum does a good amount of suck, a significant amount of static electricity is generated on the nozzle which can damage certain componenets on the motherboard if touched. If you have a powerful vacuum, avoid touching electronic components.