How does accumulation of dust affect computer
If you notice that your computer has become unusually slow, and it is taking longer than usual to boot up and perform basic operations, you'd better open the case and take a look inside.
Let us know in detail what dust and dirt may cause damage to computer components.
Dust causes heat
The computer consists of electrical circuits, so it produces heat continuously, and it must be controlled, and for this reason, fans were found inside computers. The fan usually removes the heat generated inside the machine, but problems can start when the computer produces more heat than it can dissipate.
Excessive dust in a computer can cause a variety of heat-related issues. Dust that collects on essential components, such as memory modules and processing units, insulates them and prevents air from the computer's fans from drawing heat away. Components covered in dust operate at a higher temperature than they are designed to operate at.
Dust blocking the ventilation slots prevents cold air from entering the computer and hot air from escaping out. Also, dust on the cooling fan blades causes friction, which creates noise and prevents the fan from spinning smoothly. And because the dust-laden fans are loud, if you suddenly notice a loud sound, know that there is a lot of dust accumulated.
Not only does dust restrict the airflow inside the device, but it also insulates the cooling surfaces directly, exacerbating the heating problem inside.
When the computer overheats, it may run slowly, simply shut down, or Windows crashes and the blue screen appears, and it may be unstable and its components may be damaged.
Dust affects the optical drive (DVD)
DVD can be affected by dust accumulation, as the drive lens fires a laser beam with a wavelength of only 650 nanometers. And that lens is affected by the contaminants that accumulate on it, which prevents the drive from reading the data correctly.
This may cause error messages when trying to read and burn discs. Although you may be able to solve this problem in some cases by cleaning the DVD lens, it is often necessary to replace the drive when it reaches this condition.
Rough dusting may damage the screen
A laptop or desktop computer LCD screen has a delicate surface that is easily scratched by dust or when cleaned with a hard dry cloth.
If you are not careful when cleaning the dust accumulated on the screen, you may remove dust and dirt particles across the surface, leaving microscopic scratches that cause a visible swirl on the screen. It may not be possible to repair a damaged screen in this way.
A traditional mouse ball performs poorly when dust builds up
A traditional mouse has a rubber ball inside. When you move the mouse, the ball rolls, which causes the internal plastic rollers to roll. Since the bottom of the mouse must remain exposed to allow the ball to roll, dust enters the body of the mouse and begins to collect on the rollers.
Dirty rollers are unable to make proper contact with the ball, causing poor mouse performance. To fix it, remove the bottom of the mouse, remove the ball and clean the dust off the rollers, or replace it with a laser mouse, which is less likely to accumulate dust.
What is the best way to remove dust from a computer?
It is necessary to open the control unit or CPU of the computer once every 6 months if you are in a dusty environment, or once a year if the amounts of dust are normal around you, in order to clean it and make sure that it is free of dust.
Many people usually resort to using vacuum cleaners to suck out the dust on computer components, but this may lead to dust spilling over into other places that are difficult to reach and clean, which accelerates their damage.
It is better to use compressed air cans or as it is called a compressed compressor to get rid of dust, but make sure that it is in an upright position to prevent liquefied gas from splashing on computer components. Be careful when working with compressed air, as it may cause skin burns when it reaches the skin from a close distance.
Do not blow air directly into an open or closed DVD, CD-ROM, or Blu-ray drive to prevent dust contamination of the laser.
Before removing dust from inside the computer, disconnect the power cord and all peripherals. Do not touch or remove any internal components without knowledge. And of course, don't set out to dust your computer if you're not completely sure you can do it.
