Here in Austin, we face ongoing struggles against dust, dander, pollen, and other airborne particles that can mess with our health and comfort. But your human workers aren’t the only ones at risk for debilitating issues caused by dust exposure. The electronic devices that labor silently to keep your operations running can also sustain dust-related “health problems” that threaten their performance and longevity. Let’s examine why dust represents such a serious potential threat to your IT system, and what you can do to minimize this threat.

Most computers rely on airflow to help them dissipate the waste heat generated by the electrical power coursing through them. Dust interferes with this heat dissipation in a few different ways. For one thing, it can get lodged in air intake vents, preventing air from entering the device and causing heat to build up. Dust can also interfere with the function of fans designed to keep that air moving. Dust that collects on circuit boards can settle on solder points and components, causing them to overheat and fail.

You might assume that boosting the air circulation around your hardware can help keep it from getting buried in dust. But that’s only true to the extent that the air itself is dust free. If you don’t vacuum your floors and wipe down your surfaces frequently, you’re just pushing more dust into your devices. Remember to clean out your ceiling tiles, rack filters, and HVAC ducts periodically as well.

Whether you’ve already lost valuable hardware to the ravages of dust or you’d simply like to discover new ways to protect your hardware, contact Gravity Systems today. Our Austin IT tech support team can evaluate your current technology and its environment, clean stubborn dust out of hardware vents and boards, or replace a dust-ridden dead device with a clean, high-performance alternative.