Why Your Computer Room Should Have Ventilation

How does the air feel in your office? Are you surrounding by a lot of computers day in and day out? If your answer to our former question was “stuffy” or “warm” and there are computers nearby, that’s not a good answer. Why? Because without ventilation, a lot of problems could arise.

“But that’s nothing to worry about,” you’re probably wondering. “I switch my computer off every day.” That’s not a smart way to think though! Here are some valid reasons why that computer room of yours does in fact need ventilation.

Reason 1: Heat

What happens when a computer is switched on all of the time is it will generate heat. Many computers now come complete with a built-in fan to keep the inner mechanics cooled off, but extra ventilation can help limit the amount of heat being generated from the machine’s long-term usage.

The bigger your computers, the more heat they will generate. This is why data center companies will absolutely insist on installing ventilation as well. So, if you run a business or rely on your computer at work, cool air flow is a must, not only for your sake but also for the sake of your employees. Those computers contain the most vital information your business and everyday life needs, after all! If you use a lot of electronics as a hobby or to work remotely, you want the electronics to last as long as possible. Having ventilation installed is the answer.

Reason 2: Dust

The downside of owning so many electronics in one area is that dust tends to collect faster than per usual. Those dust bunnies if left alone can spell danger! Dust and dirt buildup left alone for a long period of time can cause all sorts of problems, the worst being overheating.

Reason 3: Humidity

In addition to dust, humidity levels can contribute to overheating within a computer room. When mixed with dust, condensation can occur if you move the computer from an extremely cold environment to a humid indoors one swiftly. The best way to keep humidity levels down is—you guessed it—ventilation.

How to Keep the Computer Room Cool

There are several types of ventilation you can install to ensure your computer room at home or at work stays cool and keeps the air circulation flowing:

• A portable air conditioner (if your home is smaller, such as an apartment)
• Central air conditioning (for larger homes and office buildings)
• Precision cooling and containment (for large server rooms such as at IT companies or data centres)

The size of your computer room itself is also very important. Portable air conditioners are not built to last every hour of every day for the entire year. However, too much A/C can cost you too much (especially if you the computer room is a small one). If size is a concern, a professional can help to inspect your computer room and then advise you on what type of cooling would be best from there.

Ideally, your computer room’s temperature should not fall below 10 degrees Celsius or go above 27 degrees Celsius. Either temperature level exceeding those numbers in either direction can spell bad news for your computer’s inner mechanisms! The most ideal temperature should range between 18-21 degrees Celsius.

As for keeping dust bunnies away from your computer, effort on your part is going to be needed. A can of compressed air should be your best friend, especially when it’s time to clean and vacuum near this room (and if you haven’t already, you really, really should!). The compressed air can get rid of any invisible dust and dirt buildup that may be trying to creep into your computer’s nooks and crannies as well.

Use a vacuum cleaner only after dusting off all of your electronics with the compressed air—notto clean the computer itself! Doing so will create static buildup and send a discharge into the most sensitive parts of your computer. Only vacuum around the computer area and not within the machines themselves.

You should get maintenance help immediately if you notice the following:

• There’s more heat in the computer room despite the A/C being on
• There’s loud noise coming from the HVAC units being used for cooling
• The temperature keeps going above the desired 27 degrees Celsius or below 10 degrees Celsius
• Humidity levels are skyrocketing despite your use of cooling

At Rep-Air Heating And Cooling we provide our customers with many options that will best suit your needs from heating and cooling to refrigeration. Contact us today for your complimentary quote: 1-778-728-1476 or contact@repairheatingandcooling.com and don’t forget to take a look at our website: https://repairheatingandcooling.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for free giveaways!