Build your own PC air filter
If your computer is anything like mine, it sucks in a lot of air and with that air comes a lot of dust. I’ve got two 80mm fans in the front and two 80mm fans in the back plus the 120mm PSU fan. Since the side of my computer has a Plexiglas window, I can see all the dust that accumulates inside the case. Not only is it ugly, but it’s really not good for your computer’s parts. When dust gets around the processor, power supply and other components, it blocks the vents and overheats the computer. As it works harder to keep itself cool, it slowly degrades hardware performance which shortens the life of the computer.
Every couple of months, I like to take my computer outside and blow it out with bottles of compressed air, but I wanted to figure out a way to cut down on the dust even more. With my computer case, there’s a recessed area in the front panel that’s in front of my intake fans. This provided an excellent area for a custom air filter.
I went to Lowe’s and picked up a cheap furnace filter and cut it to fit. You can see in the picture below how it fits in there. I’m not sure if it makes a difference, but I put the wire mesh side on the outside.
Now, most of the intake air is pulled through the air filter before it enters my computer case. There’s still some places that the dust sneaks in, but this catches a majority of it. You can see a comparison in the picture below. The air filter on the bottom is brand new and uncut and the one on top was used in my computer for about two months.
If your case isn’t designed like mine, you may have design a air filter with a different size/shape. I hope this helps someone else keep their computer clean, cool and happy!
Useful Links:
Attack of the Killer Dust Bunnies
Create a Dust-Free Environment
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