Heat is a real problem for computers. And here in West Africa we have plenty of heat. It can make them behave erratically and will seriously damage hardware. If you have an actively cooled device (aka, a device with a fan), pay attention! Following these simple tips will save you frustration from lost data and money on costly repairs in the long run… not to mention it will keep your local IT rep happy. While this article might be written to those living or planing to live in West Africa, these tips will benefit anyone in any climate.
1. Give it a bath. Dust is a killer… and computers collect a lot of it. It prevents computers from efficiently removing damaging heat. Some people have tried dumping liquids over their keyboard without much success but your results may vary. However, there are better long-term methods. Removing the dust is as simple as buying a can of compressed air or similarly using an air compressor and thoroughly blowing the dust from all the air vents on the back, side, and/or underside of the laptop. Doing this every three months and several more times during Harmmatan, West Africa’s dusty season, can make the difference between watching cuddly kittens on YouTube and sitting bored at night while local nerd herd rep does due diligence before telling you it is fried and you need a new one.
2. Tuck it in when it is sleeping. Now that you’ve cleaned all that dust out, help to keep it out. Covering over your laptop when it’s off or in sleep/hibernate mode will keep dust from settling on it and in it.
WARNING! Never cover a running laptop. Not only will the cover now act as an insulating glove keeping all of that damaging heat inside, there’s a chance that it will catch fire.
3. Don’t smother it. Give it some air. Computers require air circulation to keep cool. Many people smother their laptops by placing them in corners, cabinets, surround them by cluttered desks, or placing them on a surface that prevents fresh air from entering. First, you should try the straightforward solution of cleaning up your work area. Not only will your coworkers/housemates/wife be grateful but you’ll give your computer some much needed airflow.
Once you’ve done that, (You did do that, didn’t you?) you should also consider a cooling apparatus for your laptop. If your rich or just like wasting money, you can buy ridiculously overkill cooling system. But if you’re like most people, you like saving money whenever you can. Any cheap cooling system certainly won’t hurt… But you don’t even need to go that far. Computers already have cooling systems built in. It is usually just of matter of raising it a few centimeters off of the desk/bed/lap/cat to give that system enough airflow to do it’s job well. A simple pie cooling rack will do this effectively. Most people have a few of these in our home already.
4. If you’re hot, it is too. The Laws of Thermodynamics are clear, an object cannot be cooler than it’s cooling medium. If the ambient temperature is high then your computer will have a harder time shedding that excess heat. And unlike you, it will not benefit from a quick dip in the pool on those sweltering 40+ degree days… so please don’t try.
If you’re discovering that your laptop is having trouble staying cool, consider turning it off until a cooler time of day. Your friends will be disappointed that you didn’t come to their rescue with an additional Candy Crush life during lunch break.
Computer repairs are costly in both time and money. In many parts of West Africa computer parts and replacement computers are not conveniently available and can result in extended (weeks or months) downtime. Even when parts are available they are substandard and costly. Don’t let your downtime be because of something that can be easily prevented. Take care of your computer. Your supporters will thank you when they are able to get a newsletter from you.
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