Heat-busting tips and tricks for your PC

Heat is like kryptonite for your precious system—it can slow your PC's performance to a crawl, fry the motherboard, and threaten your data. Check out these easy tips for keeping your desktop or notebook cool as a cucumber.

Location, location, location: Have your CPU tucked away in a cabinet or hidden on the floor beneath your desk? Well... don't. Your system needs plenty of ventilation to keep cool—about a foot on every side, according to SmartComputing. And while the floor may seem like a relatively cool place for your CPU, it's also a breeding ground for dust and dirt, which could block your system's all-important cooling fans. Finally, keep your system in the shade—direct sunlight may brighten your mood while you're working, but it's a serious no-no for your components.

Clean out the dust: Over time, a fair amount of dust and dirt will collect inside your CPU—it's inevitable—and as I just noted above, that dust will eventually start to block the cooling fans. Beat back the dust by opening your PC's case (don’t be afraid, a simple Philips-head screwdriver should do the trick) and spraying around the wires, circuits, and cooling fans with a can of compressed air (available at any office supply store). Squeamish about opening the case? Then just spray the cooling fans themselves—it's better than nothing. Got a laptop? Spray around the cooling vents on the sides and bottom. Repeat once a week or so and you should be in good shape.

Shut down your laptop at night: Leaving your desktop running all day, every day might be fine (if not terribly green). But laptops, which tend to run hot anyway, need their beauty sleep. If it's Miller time, go ahead and shut your notebook down for the night.

Keep an eye on the mercury: Want to know exactly how hot it's getting inside your system's CPU? PctipsBox found a handy—and free—download called Speed Fan, which keeps track of fan speeds, internal temperature, and monitor voltage, and it'll even regulate your system fans to prevent heat buildup.

Laptop chill-out: Here's another good lead from PctipsBox: the Ergo Fan Riser, a stand for your laptop that doubles as an external cooling unit. The $40 version includes four built-in USB 2.0 ports for good measure.

Keep your ears open: Has your system been making any unusual noises—or not making noises, as the case may be? It could mean something's up with your cooling fans—and that's a situation you need to address, rapidly. If you have Speed Fan installed, you should be able to tell if your fans are working properly; if they're not, either replace the fans yourself (if you know what you're doing) or lug your CPU to a service center, pronto.

Of course, these heat-busting tips only scratch the surface. Got more?