Computer Heat Management
Overheating is arguably the foremost threat to your computer’s physical integrity (right up there with spills of coffee!). Computers operate on electricity, and running electricity through anything causes it to heat up. However, computers also house numerous delicate components that do not respond well to excessive heat. While there are various methods to manage your computer’s heat, many involve opening the case and adjusting internal components. We’ll reserve those for another occasion; for now, there are several ways to address your computer’s heat without requiring you to open it up.
Is Your Computer Overheating? It’s simple to discern if a phone, tablet, or laptop is overheating—just touch it. If it feels unusually warm, give it a break for a while. The harder it works, the more heat it generates. For a desktop or laptop computer, you can also listen to the fan. If it’s running at a higher pitch than usual, that indicates it’s working vigorously to dissipate a significant amount of heat.
Remember that even if your computer never experiences a catastrophic failure due to heat, consistently operating at high temperatures will curtail the lifespan of nearly every component within it. Thus, every small measure you take to lower your computer’s temperature contributes positively over the long term.
The component most susceptible to overheating in your computer is the CPU (central processing unit). To determine its actual temperature, you can employ a tool like CoreTemp.
If You Wish to Lower Your Computer’s Temperature, Continue Reading.
Room Temperature While it might seem evident, it’s easy to overlook—your computer begins at room temperature. Subsequently, any cooling method you employ can only maintain your computer at a certain level above room temperature. A desktop computer operating in a 20-degree room might run at 45 degrees; if the room temperature increases to 30 degrees, the computer’s temperature will rise to 55 degrees.
Monitor the temperature in the room where your computer is located and be cautious of direct sunlight. Any measures you take to cool down your workspace (like using AC or closing blinds) will also benefit your computers.
Computer Placement and Clearance Air circulation is paramount for keeping your computer cool. This is why every physically sized computer (excluding tablets or phones) includes at least one fan. Fans work by expelling hot air from the computer’s case, which is then replaced by cooler external air. If your computer is wedged in a corner with books piled on it, it will suffer from heat buildup. Strive for a few inches of clearance on all sides of your computer case, particularly at the back where the fans are located. Avoid clutter around the case, and be especially mindful of nearby space heaters or other sources of heat, including sunlight. Whenever possible, keep these away from your computer.
Dust Even the finest fan will eventually become obstructed by dust. Cleaning a fan properly entails opening the PC’s case and using pressurized air to clear everything out. However, there are steps you can take to delay this process. Maintain cleanliness in the room and take note if dust accumulates around your computer. This could indicate that you should relocate it, perhaps elevating it off the floor.
Remember that dust is primarily a concern within the computer, so you might not realize you have a dust issue without opening the case. Inspect the fan at the back (or the underside or edge of a laptop). If it’s visibly dusty, it’s time to disassemble things and perform a thorough cleaning.
Laptops Although they’re called laptops, remember that your lap emits body heat. For a laptop already running hot, this can be problematic (for both you and the laptop). A laptop will run cooler when placed on a desk rather than on your lap, and even cooler if equipped with a cooling pad. Many of these products are available on the market, but they all essentially serve as frameworks to create space (and consequently airflow) beneath your laptop. Many also include external fans. However, anything that slightly elevates the computer and creates space underneath will contribute to cooling.