5 WAYS TO AVOID LAPTOP OVERHEATING

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.