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Beat the Heat – Dust

One of the computer system's arch enemies is heat. While heat may only be an annoyance to most of us... or just an excuse to jump in a pool... heat in a computer can cause some serious issues. In part one of our new multi-part series on the effects of heat, we will cover dust and dust removal in computers.

The internal components of a computer system (be it desktop or laptop) generate lots of heat while they operate. To combat the heat issue, engineers develop ways to increase air flow through the use of fans and other heat dispersal systems, such as heat-sinks (metal components used to draw heat away from main internal components).

Spontaneous restarting, system shut downs, Blue Screens, and locking up are all possible outcomes of a system struggling with heat issues.

While there are numerous causes of heat issues, the best way to prevent them from becoming a problem in your system is to ensure that it is dust free. Dust clogs air intake, and reduces the effectiveness of the internal heat-sinks, leading to overheating.

While different technicians have their opinions on the best dust removal techniques, there are some that should never be tried on electrical equipment. The most mentioned and seemingly obvious solution to dust would be to blow it away with canned air. However, Canned air can cause more damage if not used correctly! Canned air is actually compressed to the point where the contents (not "air" at all) become a liquid.

The reason the manufacturer instructs you to hold the can upright is to prevent the "liquid" from exiting the can not fully evaporated. By using the can at the wrong angle the potential for damage to internal components increases, and the benefit of dust removal is defeated.

Some people also think that the use of a vacuum to suck the dust away is a good idea. The is far from the truth, and could possibly be the worst possible solution to dust, as the static electricity generated by the vacuum could cause unimaginable damage to the fragile internal components.

The use of an air compressor is the technique of choice at RhineTech. An air compressor can be the savior of some systems with overheating issues due to dust. The only recommendation we have is that the system be cleaned outdoors, as the plume of dust can be quite impressive in some systems.

In the next entry we will discuss cable management in desktops, as well as other issues relating to heat-sinks and overheating. Until then... stay cool!