Keep Your PC Cool (and Green) All Summer
When the weather gets hot, it isn't just the fans in your home that may be working overtime—you may notice your computer fan turning on a lot more frequently, too, if it's struggling to keep your computer cool in warmer temperatures. An overheated computer will run more slowly and may eventually stop running altogether if the hard drive fails. Plus, keeping that fan running all the time can turn your computer into a real energy-waster. A few quick measures can keep your computer cool in hot weather... and can also minimize its power consumption.
1. Give your desktop PC plenty of room for air to circulate around it. If it's crammed underneath your desk with the fan vent flush against the wall, heat will obviously build up faster. Get it out in the open and give it plenty of "breathing" room.
2. Make sure the fan isn't blocked. Obviously, a functioning fan is going to cool your computer a lot faster than a nonfunctioning one.
3. Keep the lid on. It might seem counterintuitive, but removing the cover from your desktop PC can actually make it run hotter by leaving it exposed to dust and particulate matter. So take the lid off to give it a good blast of dust-clearing compressed air, but then put the cover back on.
4. Location, location, location. Do position your computer so that it's near an air conditioning vent. Don't keep it in direct sunlight if you can avoid it.
5. Try using a power-saving application to modify sleep and shut-down times. Reduce the amount of time your computer is actively running and you'll be surprised at how much energy you save. Applications like Edison for XP and Vista or the Google Energy Saver Gadget can help you re-configure your power management settings and will calculate the amount of your reduced energy consumption.
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