Chicago
Track Your Order
0
10 Critical PC Maintenance Mistakes I Avoid (and You Must, Too)
Maintaining your PC is essential for its longevity and performance, but even with the best intentions, you can still make mistakes that could cause more harm than good for your PC. Here are ten critical PC maintenance mistakes that you should avoid.
Using a Vacuum to Clean Inside Your PC
While it might be tempting to use a vacuum cleaner to remove dust from inside your PC, this can be a dangerous mistake. Vacuums generate static electricity, which can discharge and damage sensitive electronic components like your motherboard, RAM, or GPU.
Additionally, the suction can be too strong, potentially dislodging small parts. The safest method is to use a can of compressed air, which is specifically designed to remove dust without the risk of static electricity. If you do use canned compressed air, make sure to hold it upright to prevent any liquid from being expelled from the can.
Applying Too Much Thermal Paste
Thermal paste is crucial for maintaining proper heat transfer between your CPU and its cooler, but applying too much can be problematic. Excess paste can spill over the sides of the CPU and potentially make contact with the motherboard, causing short circuits.
Furthermore, too much paste can create air pockets, which can reduce the effectiveness of heat transfer, leading to overheating. This is why it is important to learn how to properly re-paste your CPU. If you’re unsure which thermal paste pattern to use, you can always go conventional and apply a small pea-sized amount of thermal paste directly in the center of your CPU. This should spread the paste evenly across the surface when you install the cooler and prevent possible spills.
Blowing Air Into the Case Without Proper Ventilation
Cleaning your PC with compressed air is effective, but it's important to do it correctly. Blowing air into a closed case or in an area with poor ventilation can lead to dust simply being redistributed within the case rather than being expelled. Always ensure that you're cleaning your PC in a well-ventilated area, and consider removing one side of the case to allow the dust to escape. This will prevent dust from settling back onto your components.
Using Glass Cleaners for Acrylic Case Panels
Acrylic panels are popular in PC cases due to their transparency, price, and glass-like aesthetic. However, acrylic panels will require special care when cleaning. Unlike glass, using regular glass cleaners on acrylic can cause it to become cloudy or discolored over time due to the chemicals in the cleaner. Furthermore, these chemicals can weaken the acrylic, making it more prone to scratches. Instead, clean the acrylic panels with a mild soap and water solution and wipe them with a soft microfiber cloth. This method should be gentle enough and won't damage the surface.
Polishing Connectors
While it might seem like a good idea to polish the connectors on your components, this can do more harm than good. Polishing can remove the thin gold plating that covers many connectors, leading to corrosion and poor electrical contact over time. So, despite gold being less electrically conductive than copper, gold plating on contacts should never be removed. Furthermore, abrasive materials used in polishing can also scratch the surface, making connections less reliable. If you need to clean connectors, use a dry microfiber cloth or a specialized electronic contact cleaner that’s safe for delicate components.
Placing Your PC in Confined Spaces
Placing your PC in an enclosed space, such as a cabinet or under a desk with limited airflow, can lead to overheating. PCs need adequate ventilation to dissipate the heat generated by components like the CPU and GPU. When airflow is restricted, the internal temperature can rise, leading to thermal throttling (CPU or GPU reduces performance to cool down), crashes, or even permanent damage to components. Ensure that your PC has plenty of space for air to circulate, and consider adding extra case fans if necessary.
Using Water to Clean Components
Water and electronics are a dangerous combination. Even a small amount of moisture can cause short circuits and permanently damage your components. Some might think lightly dampening a cloth with water to clean dust or dirt is harmless, but avoiding water altogether is better.
Instead, use isopropyl alcohol, which evaporates quickly and leaves no residue. It's particularly useful for cleaning contact points or removing thermal paste. When buying isopropyl alcohol for cleaning electronics, get high alcohol concentrations from 90-99%. This reduces the alcohol's water content and speeds up evaporation.
Over-Tightening Screws
Over-tightening screws is a common mistake, especially for those new to building or maintaining PCs. Screws that are too tight can strip the threading, damage the components they're meant to secure, or even crack the motherboard. This is particularly risky when installing CPUs or motherboards, where even slight damage can lead to significant issues.
Over-torquing also applies to the PC case. Stripping the screw head from its threads will cause malfunctions, which you'll then be forced to properly remove, so you can continue using the screw hole. Tighten the screws just until they’re snug; there's no need to apply excessive force. Avoid using electric screwdrivers, but if you must, set torque settings to low and never use the impact function if available.
Using WD-40 to Lubricate Fan Bearings
WD-40 is a common household “lubricant,” but it's not suitable for PC fan bearings. WD-40 is a water-displacing solvent, which isn’t good for your PC fan bearings. While it can temporarily quiet a noisy fan, WD-40 can attract dust, leading to more significant issues over time, including clogging the fan or causing it to seize up entirely. If your fans are making noise, it’s better to replace them rather than attempt to fix them with lubricants. PC fans are relatively inexpensive, and replacing them ensures your system remains in good working order. But if you must, skip WD-40 and try other light oil-based lubricants instead.
Frequent Disassembly and Cleaning
While it's important to keep your PC clean, disassembling and re-seating components frequently cause wear and tear on components. Screws can become stripped, connectors can loosen, contacts can be scratched, and clips can weaken over time. Regular cleaning is necessary, but focus on surface cleaning and only disassemble your PC when necessary, like during hardware upgrades or if there's a serious dust buildup.
By avoiding these critical mistakes, you can maintain your PC's performance and longevity. Proper maintenance practices are essential to prevent unnecessary repairs or replacements and to keep your system running smoothly for years to come.
