Many people overlook the fact that a PC needs regular maintenance. Some sites use the analogy that it’s like taking in your car for a tune up, but I’ve never liked it, as it suggests that there is a fair cost associated with it. Consider it more like cleaning your oven or removing the crumbs out of the toaster oven. Yes, it’s a bit more involved, but not by much. You can take it into a computer shop and let them charge you anywhere from $50 to $100, but if you’re looking to save money, read on.

In this article we’ll deal with maintenance for the physical hardware that makes up your computer. So some of you may be wondering why even bothering with maintenance of your PC, considering you’ve never done it in the past. Basically, maintaining it will prolong the life of your PC and help it run smoothly.  It also has a second added benefit of making your living space a healthier place to live.

A Youtube video by online retailer NCIX.com (www.ncix.com), hosted by Linus Sebastien, walks you through the simple task of cleaning out your computer.

 

One word of caution before you proceed. Make sure that opening up the side of your computer does not void any warranty on it. You may want to contact the manufacturer to be certain of any warranty restrictions.

As an added suggestion, while you have the computer unplugged and away from its usual location, clean the area around it so you won’t have to clean out the PC as frequently. As for how often to clean out your PC, it really depends on where you have it. If the system sits off the ground, once a year should be more than adequate. If you have it sitting on the floor, I’d suggest at least twice a year. This is especially true if you own pets that like to walk around your computer.

Check back with us again soon as we’ll be posting up an article on Preventative Maintenance for Windows.