Were you ever alone in a room and you heard someone snoring?
You start to look for this offending noise and it turns out it's your PC.
If this is you, it could be that your dust build up is on an entirely different level
and, in that case, it's time for a little spring cleaning - PC style!
This is DIY in 5.
Hello Everyone, My name is Trisha Hershberger and you are watching DIY in 5, the show where
we break down tech topics into easily digestible bites in 5 minutes or less
so that you can DIY your own tech.
Just like anything else in life, computers can get dusty.
Dust and dirt inside and outside your PC can lead to a myriad of issues,
including overheating, slowing down, causing damage or error messages, and more.
Let's go ahead and clean that up.
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First things first, keeping your computer clean is easier when it's not on the floor,
especially when that floor is carpet.
Computers in homes with pets that shed may suffer from fur clogging fans and other parts.
If you don't have room to store your PC on your desk,
getting a stand or shelf that holds your tower even a few inches off the floor is helpful.
When cleaning a PC, the most important thing to keep in mind is airflow.
You want to get cool air in and hot air out.
Dust builds up over time and can seriously hinder fans.
You may notice a drop in airflow when your CPU starts to run a little hotter.
As the buildup continues your fan tries to fight and yell, clean me!!!!!
But you continue to ignore it
until one day you are walking around your room thinking your computer is snoring.
Yep, it's too late.
Ok, let's begin with some simple cleaning tips to stop this from happening.
In order to make sure you are not causing static damage to your components:
wear an anti-static wristband, at the minimum, ground yourself by touching the case or PSU housing frequently.
Whenever you are working inside a PC, it's best to wear shoes with rubber soles
and avoid working on carpet if you can.
Also, like with any cleaning, it can help to wear a dust mask or respirator.
Next, unplug your computer and move it to somewhere well-ventilated,
or at least somewhere with an open door or window.
Remove your computer's side panels (and if possible, front panel).
Use a lint-free cloth or a can of compressed air to clean out dust filters
or collections in the case's base.
Vacuum up dust that has fallen outside the case.
Do not vacuum inside the case.
Now, for the vast majority of people they can stop right here
and if you do this often enough, that's all you need.
But what if it's really bad?
For those of us who legit think our computers sound human,
we may need to do a deep clean.
To deep clean, you'll need to completely remove everything in the case that you feel comfortable removing.
Removing the CPU is generally not advised, as it means you have to reapply thermal paste.
Remove easily extractable components such as RAM sticks, video cards, and hard drives.
Lay your components on a non-conductive surface.
Clean all crevices, shrouds, heat sinks, dust filters, and surfaces with compressed air and a lint-free cloth.
Clean each fan blade individually.
It's easier to clean fan blades if you hold them in place with a pencil or other tool.
If, after cleaning, a fan's blades are not moving freely, it may be time to replace it.
Use cotton swabs and alcohol to clean oil or fingerprints off
and be sure not to reassemble until everything's dry.
Some components such as graphics cards may get dusty in covered areas.
You may be able to disassemble them to clean thoroughly,
but only with the correct tools.
Some will void your warranty if you open them,
so I usually use compressed air with a straw to dislodge stubborn dust in these cases
rather than taking them apart.
What can't be removed with compressed air can be dealt with by using a damp cloth.
Damp, not wet.
Finally, when reassembling your computer, do cable management to avoid dust buildup.
We actually have a video specifically on cable management you can check out here.
You can check out this video if you need some inspiration in that department.
It is good practice to dust your computer every 3 to 6 months,
and deep clean as needed every 6 months to a year.
Certainly once every two years to avoid overheating risks.
Ok tl;dr - dust build up kills the fans in your PC.
When the fans go out, airflow is severely restricted,
which causes heat and makes components age rapidly.
In the case of the CPU, if the fan fails the CPU can also fail quickly.
The good news is most modern bios automatically have an emergency shutdown in place.
However, you will not be able to use your PC until the CPU fan is replaced.
So please remember to clean your PC frequently
to ensure those snoring sounds only come from Great Aunt May - not your PC.
My name is Trisha Hershberger and I'll see you next time with more DIY in 5.
Happy cleaning everyone!