Tips for Taking Care of Your Laptop

In a world so dependent on technology, it doesn’t matter if your computer is for business or personal use.  The impact of a broken computer can be devastating. It can bring a business to a grinding halt, disabling communication with suppliers and clients. Many of us use our personal computers for the business of life such as balancing bank accounts, paying bills, making purchases and staying in touch with friends and family.

Laptops are much more susceptible to accidental damage simply because of their portability and the way we use them. While you can’t safeguard your laptop from everything, here are some steps you can take to help protect your laptop and prolong its life.

Prevent Overheating

Even though it’s called a “laptop” computer, your lap or any soft surface is probably the last place you want to use it. If your laptop is not sitting on a hard flat surface, the air vents could become blocked. This can cause the laptop to overheat, often resulting in poor performance or permanent damage. It is best to use it at a desk or a table. It may even be a good idea to use a fan mat to help keep your laptop cool.

Protect It When Transporting

You bought your laptop for its convenient portability. It is exactly that feature that often causes your laptop to be in harm’s way. Your desktop typically only leaves the house if it needs repair or is being replaced. Your laptop goes almost everywhere with you.

While manufacturers are constantly making them more durable, it is the laptop’s light weight and portability that make it vulnerable to bumps and bangs. It is always a good practice to carry it a protective case and if you are not physically holding on to it, make sure it is secure. If you’ve put it on the backseat of the car for example and you hit the brakes suddenly, it could easily fall to the floor, possibly causing damage.

Keep Food & Drinks Away

It seems obvious right? Everyone has probably been guilty of this at some point in time. Enjoying your morning coffee while checking your email or eating lunch at your desk, opens up your laptop to potential damage.

Crumbs from food can lodge in your laptop’s keyboard causing keys to stick or even damage the circuitry. A spilled cup of coffee or soda can fry the mother board, which yes, is as bad as it sounds. If you must have a drink, keep it on the opposite end of the desk or table and make sure it has a lid.

Don’t Leave It in the Car

There are a couple of reasons leaving your computer behind in the car is not a good idea. First of all, it subjects the laptop to extreme temperatures that can cause damage and affect its performance. It is also an invitation for it to be stolen. Besides the cost to replace it, there is the hassle of trying to recover lost files and data as well as possibly allowing important personal or business information to fall into the wrong hands.

These tips may seem simple and sometimes completely obvious, but you’re probably guilty of at least one or more of these offenses. While you can spare your laptop from some accidental damage, there is no way to protect it from everything. When breakdowns or damage happens, it is best to consult with a computer repair expert.

Servicing the Jersey Shore, Bay Computing and Consulting was founded in 2005 with the simple goal of providing the best service and support for our customers at a fair and honest price. No matter what you use them for, business or personal, computers and technology are a part of our everyday lives. Let us help you keep them running smoothly. Contact with us for all your computing and consulting needs.