Your everyday activities may be damaging your PC without your knowledge. The Tech Edvocate shared some bad habits that are destroying your PC, including eating and drinking near your setup and keeping it in an enclosed area. Crumb buildup can cause short circuits, while a cramped PC space can block vents and lead to overheating and dust buildup.
However, did you know smoking can harm your PC, too? Surprisingly, it can be the reason behind issues like malfunctions or slow response times. If you continue ignoring this habit, you could permanently damage your setup. To prevent this, keep reading to find out how cigarette smoke harms your PC and how you can address this problem:
How Does Cigarette Smoke Harm Your PC?
Although cigarette smoke seemingly disappears into thin air after you exhale it, this study published in Nature reveals that the combustion of tobacco products generates fine particulate matter. These are solid and liquid particles that can build up on surfaces over time. Tar buildup can block your PC’s vents, trapping heat and leading to malfunctions. In severe cases, it could catch fire due to overheating. Tar buildup can even sneak into the nooks and crannies of your PC. That can prevent them from functioning at their best, resulting in performance issues and costly hardware damage. Luckily, you can keep this from happening.
What to do to address and prevent PC damage because of cigarette smoke?
1. Thoroughly clean your PC
If you’re a regular smoker, expect a sufficient amount of tar and dust buildup in your PC. This calls for a thorough cleaning. In our post “What Happens During the Computer Refurbishment Process?”, we discuss that this involves disassembling your PC’s internal components—including the circuit boards and fans—and carefully removing their dust and debris to prevent overheating and improve performance. Just make sure to be gentle while handling the parts and be cautious of using brushes or compressed air to get rid of the dust. You can also outsource the job to professional PC cleaning services.
2. Stop smoking near your PC
The simplest way to avoid breaking your PC from cigarette smoke is to stop smoking when you’re using it. If you use your PC over long periods, though, you may experience withdrawal symptoms. In that case, you can opt for smokeless alternatives like nicotine pouches and nasal sprays. A nicotine pouch releases nicotine orally over the course of an hour, keeping your PC free from tar buildup even if you use it often. You can opt for ZYN nicotine pouches: their nicotine content is carefully extracted from the tobacco plant, so you can guarantee that no tobacco particles will get into your PC. They also come in varying strengths, 3 mg and 6 mg, which means even heavier smokers can avoid lighting up when at their computer. Meanwhile, nicotine nasal sprays produce liquid absorbed by blood vessels in your nostrils. You can use the Nicotrol nasal spray once or twice per hour. Their effects last for longer, perfect for long PC sessions.
3. Keep particles from entering your PC
Prevention is better than cure. To keep smoke from entering and damaging your PC in the future, be proactive in keeping particles from entering its components. You can place an air filter over the vents, effectively keeping dust and debris from entering your PC. If your PC has multiple graphics card slots, you can also try covering up the ones you don’t use. You can even take it a step further by using an air purifier. For this, you can try LG air purifiers. They’re among the top players in the market today, primarily because they use a unique ultraviolet light air filtration feature to keep dust from settling in parts of your room. They also enhance air quality and kill germs, allowing your PC to stay dust-free for longer.
Caring for your PC starts with avoiding smoking anywhere near it and cleaning it regularly. Remember these tips to keep your PC in excellent working condition.