Dust, that common enemy of the local housewives and maids, it accumulates everywhere, in hard to reach places, some not so hard to reach places, any place that you want looking nice, it ruins our fancy trophy collection, gathers on top of the window sill, on lampshades and old furniture, and just about everywhere. Dust is not only the enemy of maids and housewives, but our computer hardware as well.

Why do computers hate dust?

As dust accumulates in the case it can cause several different issues such as: overheating, disrupt air flow and even deteriorate some component connections. The overheating is caused when dust gathers on top of heat sinks, circuits on the motherboard, in vents leading into and out of the computer hardware as well on the power supply. Dust prevents cool air from reaching the components that need to be cooled in order to operate efficiently. If there is enough dust in the computer’s vents it can completely disrupt the airflow needed to keep the parts cool, and will make the fans noisy due to the dust on the bearings of the fans. In a very bad situation dust can completely stop fans from working. When that happens the computer hardware will overheat and will *most of the time* shutdown in order to prevent damage.
*Some older motherboards do not have this safety feature, however if you’ve bought a computer in the past decade you most likely have it.

How can I prevent overheating death to my beloved computer hardware?

  • Clean it out regularly. Usually every few months is a good way to keep your computer hardware nice and clean. Depending on your situation you may need to clean out your case more often. If you live in the Midwest or in somewhere with lots of sand/dirt you will most likely have to clean out your dust more often, just like how you’ll have to change your car’s air filter more often.
  • Keep your computer hardware off the floor. Putting it on top of a desk, or anywhere away from the floor will help fight those dust bunnies, because most of the dust comes from carpet, shoes, things that get tracked in on the floor. All of that junk can end up as dust/dirt inside your computer hardware. It’s much better off on top of a desk, or a counter.
  • Install a second fan to blow air out. (If you don’t have one already) A good way to get rid of dust inside your computer is to install a second fan that will blow the old air inside your computer out of the rear or the top side of the computer. A second fan is good because it will direct the airflow to the outside rather than having the air circling inside the case depositing dust everywhere it deems fit.
  • Make sure all PCI slots are covered and the case is closed. Another good way for dust to get in your computer is by PCI slots that have been left open and uncovered after removing a PCI card, or switching around a graphics card. The bigger the hole is the more easier it is for dust to get inside, which is why it is important to cover up any PCI slots or holes in the case that aren’t necessary for proper ventilation. Make sure you keep the case closed when you don’t need to get inside your computer, for the same reasons previously mentioned.