Air…it fills our lungs, feeds flames, plants thrive on it, birds soar in it, AND it is the weapon of choice when it comes to waging war against a dirty computer.

Your computer is filled with nooks and crannies where dust can accumulate…dust that can build up and greatly reduce air flow, which can result in excessive heat. When the cooling efficiency of your computer is undermined, the result is often damage to your hardware and a shorter lifespan of your computer components.

To clean your computer with compressed air, you will probably want to make sure you are in a place where blowing dust around doesn’t matter to you, or cover up your furniture and carpet. You want to turn off and unplug your computer before you begin as well. Use a screwdriver to open things up. Then, holding a can of compressed air a least a few inches away, spray the motherboard, processor, power supply (and dust filter underneath if there is one), memory and expansion cards in short bursts. You will also want to similarly remove dust build-up from the case fans. For stubborn build-up on fans, you can use rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab. Your heat sink and fans mounted to your processor should be cleaned as well. If build-up is too heavy to remove with compressed air, remove and thoroughly clean and then apply new thermal grease. It is also a good idea to keep your peripherals – such as your keyboard, mouse and monitor – clean with compressed air.

The moral of this story is that you can save time and money by cleaning your computer with compressed air every 6-12 months. If this all seems a little daunting and makes you feel like you need to get some air, just call Computer “A” Services for help. Computer “A” Services is New Smyrna Beach’s trusted source for computer service, sales and parts.