You’ve probably heard by now about the B.C.
man who passed away after a fire broke out in his home, caused by a laptop left
on a couch. To reduce the odds of something like this happening in your home,
take heed to these following safety tips.
If you like to use your laptop around the home, or
know someone who does, there are a few safety measures you can take to ensure a
safer computing experience:
1. A laptop can run hot under the hood, and that
heat needs a place to escape. Never block the air vents on the back or sides of
the portable computer. Those vents can become easily blocked if the laptop is
kept on a soft surface, such as a bed, sofa, pillow or blanket. Always use your
laptop on a hard, flat surface.
2. If you absolutely
must use your laptop while reclining in bed or on a couch, there are some
products that can help prevent the laptop from overheating. A Canadian
invention called theLaptop Laidback, for example, is like a TV
tray for your PC, with adjustable arms and legs to fit your position and body
type. The Belkin CushTop is
also designed to help you lounge with your laptop.
3. Occasionally, check out the laptop
manufacturer’s website for potential battery recalls. In some cases you
can sign up for email newsletters for this information, but it’s
always a good idea to drop onto the website from time to time, type in your
model number, and check out any related news or updates available. Over the
past few years, many of the big PC makers had battery recalls — including Sony,
Dell, Lenovo, HP, Toshiba, Apple and others.
4. Enter your laptop’s power settings and have it
set to go into sleep mode or power-down after a few minutes of inactivity. That
way, those who like to bring their laptop to bed can reduce the odds of
something happening should they fall asleep (better yet, place the laptop on
your night table). Another tip is to use the laptop’s battery instead of AC
power, as it’ll turn off eventually if left on accidentally.
5. Physically check out the laptop’s air vents — at
least on a weekly basis — to ensure no dust or other debris isn’t blocking
the ventilation. This is also a good idea on a desktop tower, too, as dust, pet
hair and other junk could easily prevent good fan circulation (especially if
left on a floor). You can also pick up those forced-air canisters to blow out
debris from blocked air vents.