Many people unknowingly damage their laptops with what are fairly common practices.
Here are five tips to make sure this doesn’t happen to you:
- Laptops need to breathe.
A good airflow around the whole laptop is important to keep it from overheating. If you throw yourself and your laptop onto your bed where it gets partially buried in a cuddly duvet, then you are going to damage it if you stay working on it in that position for too long. Overheating is one of the main reasons a laptop fails. Even using it on your lap is going to restrict the air circulation. Place it on a hard surface so the four nubs underneath keep it raised off the surface. If you use a laptop as your computer for work, then you should set your laptop on a cooling platform and small fans will take care of the problem.
- Closing your laptop down
When you close down your computer and pick it up, do you wait a few moments before doing so or do you pick it up immediately? The hard drive takes a little while to stop spinning and if you pick it up while this is still happening, the delicate magnetic memory material could get damaged, which is not something you want to happen. Modern laptops do now have sensors which shut down the hard drive immediately they feel any movement, but still give it a few seconds before picking it up.
- How do you use your laptop?
If you use your laptop as your normal work computer, don’t always use it plugged into power or the battery will deteriorate. A few times a week, unplug it and let it run off battery power. This will help the battery stay in good condition.
- Do you clean your laptop?
Laptops get dusty and this dust accumulation is a problem. Avoid using them in naturally dust prone environments or around pets or smokers. It is a good idea to get your laptop professionally cleaned at least once a year. Get in touch with your friendly IT consultant.
- Do you drink near your computer?
Another major problem for the delicate operating parts of a laptop is liquid. Even a small amount can cause you a very big headache and an emergency trip to a repair centre. Keep your coffee and your laptop separate.
If you follow these tips, your laptop should last you for several trouble-free years.
