The Importance of Powering Down Your Computer

Many people are under the assumption that it’s bad to turn off their computer. This assumption has gone from just a common tale to a full case of myth. Since many people believe it’s bad to turn off their computer hardware they leave the computer running all the time. So why do people believe this myth? It’s because they believe that the surge of electric that is administered to the electronic parts when starting up and shutting down the computer actually damages them. So they will never turn off their systems because they are afraid that they’ll damage them.

This myth is hard to overcome for some people because it’s been around for so long. The problem with the myth is that it’s theoretically true. This is because it’s true that power surges are bad for electronics. However, the actual surge that starts the equipment is so small that it can be ignored. It’s similar to the way your car starts an engine. A small spark gets the whole process going. The same is true for an electronic. An electrical surge from a lightning strike is much more powerful than the surge that starts the machine. There is no benefit to your computer hardware to leaving it on all the time. In fact you’re just putting extra wear and tear on your machine.

The truth of the matter is that by leaving your computer on all the time you actually risk damaging it more. You might be wondering how this is possible. However it’s quite simple. Each component gives off tremendous heat. By leaving your computer on you are causing it to create that much extra heat when it would be resting. This extra heat can and will damage your computer parts. Not to mention that the continuous wear and tear on the machine will build up and cause it to break prematurely.

If you’re indeed worried about the computer then you will want to connect it to a power supply that is isn’t interruptible. You can even have a backup power supply just in case if you prefer. You can also plug your computer in through a surge protector. This will help in the unlikely event that something does hit your computer.

You can help prevent problems to your PC hardware by shutting it down or putting it to sleep when it’s not in use. Furthermore you should take apart your computer every so often and clean the dust and dirt off of the circuit boards. This will allow for greater conductivity and prevent the computer from have problems. Many people do not clean their computers ever. Either they don’t think it will help or they don’t understand that the dust and dirt can actually cause the computer to have problems because the dust insulates the components causing them to heat up more. While there is no way to completely prevent this you can do regular cleaning on your hardware to ensure it’s in the best possible shape.