[SOLVED] When should I clean my PC ?

[Finket]

I just got my computer almost a month ago and have not opened the side panel yet, when should I open it up and clean it ?

 

[Unolocogringo]

That will vary.
if you run it 24/7 and don't have pets, about every 3 months. If you have pets it could be every month.
If you only turn it on a couple hours a day it could be every 6 months.
There are way too many variables to give an exact time when your computer will need dusting on the inside.

 

[Finket]

That will vary.
if you run it 24/7 and don't have pets, about every 3 months. If you have pets it could be every month.
If you only turn it on a couple hours a day it could be every 6 months.
There are way too many variables to give an exact time when your computer will need dusting on the inside.

I do have pets I play on my computer a lot maybe for 10 hours a day , but is up on a desk, I ask my tech friend he said your good for 6 months maybe 4 due to the fact that it’s up on desk, and also the fact that it takes a lot of dust to make tempz higher and to have a decrease in performance

 

[Zerk2012]

I do have pets I play on my computer a lot maybe for 10 hours a day , but is up on a desk, I ask my tech friend he said your good for 6 months maybe 4 due to the fact that it’s up on desk, and also the fact that it takes a lot of dust to make tempz higher and to have a decrease in performance

This also depends on the case you have.

If you have filters you can pop them out and clean them anytime and the inside of the PC would not need cleaning as much.

Sone cases don't have filtered intake and need cleaning more often to keep it from building up as bad and take longer to clean.

 

[geofelt]

You should clean your pc when it is too dirty to perform properly.
That is not intended as a snide answer.
Cleaning has it's own risks so no need to be obsessive about it.

How do you tell?
If your temperatures start to go higher, that is one clue.
Just out of curiosity, I would take a cover off and look inside.

What is the make/model of your case?
Some will have washable intake filters that are easy to clean.

Mostly, you can leave off cleaning for a long time.
Think 6 months to a year.

 

[punkncat]

I typically clean mine about every three months. Generally if I can look inside it and see dust buildup on the fans leading edges it is time.

I use a leaf blower to clean mine for the "general" cleaning.

 

[ZeroDollarBudget]

Just keep an eye on the dust buildup and temps. I'd say check it monthly and clean it as needed every 2,3,4 months... Since you do use it a fair amount, I wouldn't let it go more than 3 months before you give it a quick dusting.

 

[LolaGT]

You should pull it out now and open it up. Then you will know how dusty it got from one month of use and can set a schedule from that. .
My main machine is in an old school Antec 900 case, on the floor, and we have cats. It runs 12 hours a day at least. A lot of air moves through it with no filtration to speak of and it will get a nice coat of dust on everything in a couple weeks, but not to the point of hurting temps(212 evo). I can run a long time before temps will get to an alarming level, but they will get there after a few months.