Have you wondered if the location you have your desktop in your home is the best for it? Also do you know how often you should clean it?
You want to set up a workplace in your home and you are thinking of buying a piece of furniture for it. You will be surprised by the multitude of plans and proposals for placing the standard components of an office, such as drawers for pencils, computer place, printer place, etc.
Beyond its design and artistic design, the position of the computer provided by the furniture manufacturer can make your life easy or difficult. In addition to being easily accessible, it should have the least amount of dust and the most airflow. A little out of proportion these two but there is always the golden ratio.
If you already have a desk, you may be wondering whether it's better to put your desktop above or below it. On your feet or on the side of a desk? On top of a low piece of furniture, like a nightstand? And in general, is it better to move your entire office to another location in the house?
Let's take a look at the best desktop computer positions in an office and how often maintenance is needed in relation to its position.
Table of Contents
General theory
The general theory says that your office should be in a bright place so as not to strain your eyes and with natural light bathing your desktop. A seat near a window will also improve your mood. Your screen should be shaded to avoid reflections.
Your computer should be in such a place that it collects the least possible dust and at the same time has the most natural air flow. Of course it should not have any obstacle in all its ventilation louvers, at least a distance of 20 points in the suction and half a meter in the discharge of its fans.
We don't want to repeat to you what will happen to a pc when it fills with dust and overheats. We have covered this in more detail in several of our articles.
Read:
Clean your computer's motherboard
How To Destroy Your Laptop |
What are the temperature limits of a computer
Of course it should be directly accessible to its ports and you should be able to keep its cables tidy. So most people think that it should not go on the floor but on the desk, as there is air flow and less dust.
Read: Is it wrong to have your desktop computer on the floor?
But the general theory is not always a panacea. There are times when you would rather clean your computer more often than put it in the perfect place.
It all depends on whether you have animals at home, whether you have a baby, whether your room is very dusty, whether you have humidity, the danger of the area and a bunch of other factors that you have to compensate for.
If your room is very dusty
If you live in a dusty area, maybe because you are not so friendly to constant cleaning or because a new building is being built across the street that adds dust to the area or for whatever reason, then more dust will make your computer case to dust earlier than usual.
In this scenario, it doesn't matter where you have placed your computer. Intake fans will suck up excess dust, whether it's on the floor or on top of the desk.
Best practice is to inspect your computer at least once a week. Once you spot dust on the outer surface of the box, take a microfiber towel and wipe it off. Internally you should clean your computer at least once a month. Twice would be even better!
If you have a furry friend
Those who have a furry friend know very well that they have to clean not only the computer but their entire house often.
No matter what you do around the house there will always be hairs from their fur which unfortunately are too thin and extremely light to fly everywhere. Several people have reported to us that having a robot vacuum greatly improves the problem as daily use removes most of the dirt.
Hair from their fur, however, can block fans and dust filters, affecting the proper functioning of your computer case's airflow. They can also stick to the ports and slots on the motherboard.
You should first train your animal not to go near the computer. Here it might be better to put your computer box on the desk, but in a stable position because animals often jump or panic uncontrollably and may knock it over on you. Especially when it comes to protecting your computer from cats.
But wherever you put it, we recommend that you clean the computer at least twice a month. Since you already spend time vacuuming your room regularly, don't hesitate to dust off your valuable hardware components.
In the perfect location
If your room does not accumulate dust often and you do not have animals, then the best location is above the desk, as this location is usually unobstructed and has good air flow, which makes it ideal for cooling and at the same time collects the least dust.
In such a case, cleaning once a year is more than enough. Don't forget to clean your work area too
Under the desk
(Photo is generated by AI)
Whether at your feet or on the side of the desk, this position impedes airflow and can even trap too much dust inside, especially if the floor is carpeted.
Likewise, the number of fans in the case, their size (120 or 140 mm) and the air pressure inside the case greatly affect airflow and cooling.
The coldest air in your room is on the floor (since heat tends to rise up naturally) so intake fans bring in cooler air, but with it comes dust. This is why these machines clog sooner.
Also you may win in cold air but you are definitely blocking its proper circulation either with your feet or with other objects that are around.
If you've chosen a similar placement, you may need to dust your computer more regularly, such as two to three times a year, depending on the dust. If yours dusts earlier, you may need to do this four or five times
Note that dust accumulation is a natural process. Some parts with less airflow (such as the back of the monitor or the outer case of the computer) have more dust, which also needs attention.
Humidity in the room
(Photo is generated by AI)
In case you have installed a humidifier or if your room temperature is very low, moisture can form in the computer case or even inside, especially if it is idle for a long time.
Condensation of atmospheric air inside the house is still a rare phenomenon, but if it occurs it is a very worrying factor. If you see any signs (such as a wet layer on the sides of the box), clean immediately.
Also, we suggest you turn off your humidifier and dehumidify either with a dehumidifier or with the cool or dehumidify mode or even the heat mode of a simple air conditioner, as this can significantly reduce the humidity level in your room.
There is no point in changing the position of the computer in the room, unless you have a wall that is constantly wet, so put your desk in the other corner of the room and somehow solve the problem, as it is also unsanitary.
Accidental spillage
If the water heater has a leak and the water has spread throughout the house, you definitely have bigger problems to deal with than your computer going down. The important thing is to turn off the electrical supply so you don't get killed and then the water supply to stop the leak in the house even after a while.
When doing the basics make sure if your computer is on the floor put it on the desk and in general don't leave any electrical equipment on the floor, such as power sockets, ups, chargers etc. You won't get hurt with the power off, but if they get wet in them then you should be very careful before plugging them back in.
For better or for worse check your computer internally and never let a single drop of liquid get inside it. It can cause a short circuit or even render the computer unusable.
Also clean the outside of the box if it is wet.
Computer storage
(Photo is generated by AI)
When you intend to store a computer or even not use it at all, of course its location does not matter at all. The problem with computers that are stored for a long time is dust and insects such as spiders, cockroaches and others.
To avoid making a nice nest for animals, we advise you to pack your computer in a closed cardboard box and if this is not possible, then clean it once a year and definitely before using it.
A better option is to take out all the parts and store them in their respective boxes. Use anti-static bags (if possible) as this helps prevent static electricity from components.
