A friendly reminder to everyone: as the days getter hotter, don’t forget to keep your electronics nice and cool. Extreme heat is the enemy of computers and other electronics gadgets, and has the potential to damage your expensive toys. Computers can fry, routers can quit routing, and game consoles can be ruined if they are allowed to overheat.
Don’t Stack Electronics
You should never stack electronic devices directly on top of each other. Is your XBox sitting on top of your DVR, which is sitting on top of your DVD player? Go do something about that, right now. Electronic devices get hot enough on their own. When they’re stacked on top of each other, they produce and conduct even higher temperatures. Keep your devices spread out, and if the amount of available space requires stacking, use shelves.
Keep Vents Clear
Almost every electronic device has one or more vents in order to control it’s temperature. Those holes on the side of your cable modem are meant to dissipate heat away from the motherboard inside. Make it a point to look around your house for any loose items that may be obstructing the airflow around your electronic devices.
Position Electronics Away from Heat
When it comes to where you store your electronics, use common sense. Keep them out of direct sunlight, and if it’s possible, in the path of a fan or air conditioner. Hot air rises, so store things on the basement or ground level of your home.
It’s Never too Late for Spring Cleaning
Get a can of compressed air from your local office supply store, and blast the dust away from all of your gadgets. Open up your computers, and make sure everything is clean. Remember those vents we were talking about? Clear away any dust and grime that you can find.
In Case of Emergency, Shut Down
If one of your gadgets begins to overheat and malfunction during the hot summer months, shut it down and disconnect it’s power supply. Let it sit and cool down until the casing is no longer hot to the touch, and then try to use it again. Make sure it’s not stacked with any other devices, and keep the area clear to allow for proper airflow.
Photo by fatal Cleopatra
