Does your laptop seem to overheat even when idle? Although several factors might be to blame for this, a fault with the internal hardware and inadequate airflow is almost always the issue.
Allowing enough space for the laptop to ‘breathe’ might be all that is needed to prevent such issues from happening. Noisy fans don’t always signify a problem with the computer, but rather, inadequate ventilation or cooling.
Here, a computer repair service in Hove provides solutions and ways to stop your laptop or computer from overheating.
1.Check the Fans
Laptops rely on heatsink and fans to keep cool. These fans work by pushing cool air through the radiators and vents, thus maintaining the recommended temperatures. You thus want to check to see if these fans are working correctly and free of dust.
Simply put your hand over the fan vents to feel the air blowing out. Very little to no air, especially when the laptop feels hot to the touch, either means the vents are blocked, or the fans have given up altogether. Use a blower to remove any dust that might have accumulated in the fins.
Consider replacing the broken laptop fan with a new one for optimal performance.
2.Keep the Laptop Elevated
Elevating the laptop should help increase ventilation under it, thus reducing the risk of overheating. While placing a book under the laptop might help, a laptop cooling mat is a better solution. Some of these cooling mats come with adjustable heights and are equipped with a cooling fan for improved airflow under the laptop.
3.Invest in A Lap Desk
A lap desk helps provide adequate ventilation, especially when using the laptop on your lap. The desk comes with little rubber feet that elevate the laptop a few inches off the surface too. One of the benefits of investing in a lap desk is that it maintains constant airflow even when working from your bed, sofa, or other comfort zones.
4.Control Fan Speeds Manually
There are times when your laptop will heat up, even when the fans are working correctly and the laptop is on an elevated platform. If this is your case, investing in a fan control utility program, such as SpeedFan, can help take charge of the fans.
These programs are quite handy in monitoring temperatures and controlling the fans to maintain the preferred temperature. SpeedFan, for example, allows you to set speeds manually for different temperature thresholds, alternating fan speeds as desired.
5.Avoid CPU Intense Programs and Processes
CPU intensive programs cause the processor to produce tons of heat, most of which is dissipated via the heatsink. Running such programs/processes for extended periods may cause the laptop to overheat, triggering increased fan speeds.
Using these programs as sparingly as you can and blocking flash content might help keep your machine cooler for longer.
6.Limit Exposure to Sources of Heat
Most laptops reportedly overheat when exposed to extreme sources of heat, including the direct sun in summer. That said, it would be advisable to use your laptop in shaded and well-ventilated areas.
Using your laptop in the blazing heat might cause the hard drives to expand and even damage the battery as well. However, you might want to have the laptop checked by a technician if it keeps overheating and shutting down even when it shouldn’t. The technician should be able to diagnose the problem and have it fixed in no time.