Having a Desktop In Your Room - Hazardous to your Health?

[silentmemories]

Is having a desktop in your own room hazardous to your health? (As in the amount of dust/air moved by the fans in the desktop.)

My room isn't that big and the desk that I'll be storing the computer in is made out of wood - should I worry about possibilities of a fire occurring? (I don't plan to overclock... but I plan to game.)

 

[BoomerD]

I don't see why it would be...unless you're Asian.

(the whole Asian sleeping with a fan = death thing.

Otherwise, if you plan to turn it off while you sleep...or have a have a very quiet system, it shouldn't be a problem.

I'm not sure why you'd think it would be hazardous to your health...do you have a furnace or A/C? Those would push FAR more air and dust than your case fans.

 

[silentmemories]

I don't see why it would be.

Otherwise, if you plan to turn it off while you sleep...or have a have a very quiet system, it shouldn't be a problem.

I'm not sure why you'd think it would be hazardous to your health...do you have a furnace or A/C? Those would push FAR more air and dust than your case fans.

I'm not necessarily worried about how much noise it causes, but about the buildup of dust inside the desktop, and the dust being collected and expelled by the PC...

 

[Mr. Pedantic]

I'm not following. You realize that your components will automatically shut off if they become too hot, right? And that the temperature at which they do this is nowhere near the temperature required to set anything on fire...?

 

[tynopik]

i've seen computers with truly ridiculous amounts of dust buildup

but no fires

you'll be fine

 

[f4phantom2500]

well, if you have a very strong dust allergy, it might cause you some grief, but honestly just treat it like a piece of furniture; every time you dust your room (which, if dust from a computer would be a problem for you, then you should already be dusting), just get a can of compressed air and give the components of your computer a once over. also you can get cases nowadays that have dust filters for the fan intakes, and clean those out as well.

on the other hand, if you don't already dust your room, and you currently don't have an issue with dust, then you'll be fine regardless. the computer doesn't generate dust, it just circulates air. so any dust that your computer acquires would have been in the room regardless.

also no fires; just don't do anything stupid like overload an outlet. definitely get a power strip for your computer and associated devices.

actually, the biggest practical health risk that you probably stand to suffer from having a computer in your room is the distraction that it offers from sleeping.

 

[Davidh373]

actually, the biggest practical health risk that you probably stand to suffer from having a computer in your room is the distraction that it offers from sleeping.

So true...

 

[corkyg]

The dust collected by a PC is in the room anyway, and the PC really doesn't expel it, but rather collects and keeps it. That's why we need to clean them periodically. So, I would not be concerned. Besides . . . the LEDs make a great night light.

 

[silentmemories]

I'm not following. You realize that your components will automatically shut off if they become too hot, right? And that the temperature at which they do this is nowhere near the temperature required to set anything on fire...?

Yes - I plan on keeping the desktop inside a wooden cabinet and I was just concerned about whether or not it would be safe to keep the desktop in there.

also no fires; just don't do anything stupid like overload an outlet. definitely get a power strip for your computer and associated devices.

Would adding in a power strip be overloading a power outlet? I'm not connecting lots of devices to the outlet, but with a power strip - in a way, wouldn't it have the same effect? (Multiple devices connected to the outlet.)

I have a light, screen, and laptop connected to the power strip currently. Would adding in a desktop overload the outlet/is it too much already?

 

[mnewsham]

Yes - I plan on keeping the desktop inside a wooden cabinet and I was just concerned about whether or not it would be safe to keep the desktop in there.



Would adding in a power strip be overloading a power outlet? I'm not connecting lots of devices to the outlet, but with a power strip - in a way, wouldn't it have the same effect? (Multiple devices connected to the outlet.)

I have a light, screen, and laptop connected to the power strip currently. Would adding in a desktop overload the outlet/is it too much already?

Not unless you are throwing a big 1.5kW system on there, most desktops idle around 80-180w and max out around 350-500w. You should be fine, just dont go throwing a microwave and a refrigerator on it.

 

[silentmemories]

Alright. What about storing a gaming PC inside a enclosed wooden cabinet? (It's a wooden cabinet that is part of a wooden desk, with a swinging door that opens to the cabinet.) Is that a fire hazard?

 

[somethingsketchy]

No, but your computer will run hotter than it normally would outside of such a cabinet. Normally it is best to have your desktop outside of such confinement (so you'll have a good path of airflow from outside of the case). However if the system is reasonable spec'd, you probably could get away with putting a computer inside of a cabinet.

 

[mfenn]

What is with all the paranoia threads recently?

Anyway, OP, storing the computer in an enclosed cabinet is a bad idea. Not for your health, but for the health of your PC.

 

[truepusk]

LOL, mfenn, must be due to the Japanese Nuclear crisis.

There have been some articles and conjecture that there are some hazardous or potentially carcinogenic particles that could come off of some of the electronics in a PC, but nothing that has been at all proven. For all I know, it may have been completely disproven.

 

[corkyg]

Gee! Maybe we should put iodine in water cooled systems.

 

[somethingsketchy]

Gee! Maybe we should put iodine in water cooled systems.

Don't say that, then we'll have to convince people, that putting Iodine in your liquid cooling, is NOT going to stop the water from getting irradiated haha.

 

[flexy]

Alright. What about storing a gaming PC inside a enclosed wooden cabinet? (It's a wooden cabinet that is part of a wooden desk, with a swinging door that opens to the cabinet.) Is that a fire hazard?

I really don't think that PCs nowadays pose a fire hazard, but i wouldnt put it in an enclosed cabinet for other reasons. The heat could cause other problems down the road, not necessarily a fire...but component failure.

 

[Fayd]

i have a normal system sitting in a wooden desk, with the back open. it's fine.

i have a gaming system sitting in a wooden desk, with a forced airflow path front to back using a 250mm fan spinning at like 400 rpm, and a 1.5 sq foot grate in front for fresh air.

it's also fine.

 

[silentmemories]

What is with all the paranoia threads recently?

Anyway, OP, storing the computer in an enclosed cabinet is a bad idea. Not for your health, but for the health of your PC.

Ah... :| In terms of restricted airflow, heating up, or...?

I really don't think that PCs nowadays pose a fire hazard, but i wouldnt put it in an enclosed cabinet for other reasons. The heat could cause other problems down the road, not necessarily a fire...but component failure.

i have a normal system sitting in a wooden desk, with the back open. it's fine.

i have a gaming system sitting in a wooden desk, with a forced airflow path front to back using a 250mm fan spinning at like 400 rpm, and a 1.5 sq foot grate in front for fresh air.

it's also fine.

:| I have no idea who designed this wooden desk. It's a terrible idea. The cabinet has a small circular hole at the back, apparently for wires and such and is totally enclosed at the back. The whole way to open it would be the front, which I could do when I use the PC (Although it would be slightly unsightly though.)

Would I have to do any changes to the placement of the fans to reverse the airflow from back to front?

 

[Chiropteran]

I'm not necessarily worried about how much noise it causes, but about the buildup of dust inside the desktop, and the dust being collected and expelled by the PC...

Where do you think the dust comes from? The PC isn't creating dust, it is merely collecting the dust that is already in your room and concentrating it in one location. Heck, your room probably has less dust overall if you run a computer in it since so much of the dust gets caught in the PC.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

i've seen computers with truly ridiculous amounts of dust buildup

I wish i would of took a picture of my friends brother who asked me to fix his computer for him. It had to be over 7yrs of dust build-up. Truly over an inch thick of dust in every area that would accumulate it, and it was friggin dirty smoke stained dust. Over an inch thick, seriously D:

 

[Cerb]

LOL, mfenn, must be due to the Japanese Nuclear crisis.

There have been some articles and conjecture that there are some hazardous or potentially carcinogenic particles that could come off of some of the electronics in a PC, but nothing that has been at all proven. For all I know, it may have been completely disproven.

I don't see how it would be disproven (it would be hard enough to prove, in the first place). They certainly do use carcigenic materials, and I can't imagine that, "new Chinese electronics," smell isn't born of some.

The thing is, like radiation, you're getting exposed from everywhere else, too. It's about dosage.

BTRY B 529th FA BN: I've seen such computers. That's when you wish you had a camera ready before you open it, because the mass of dust, once loosened, is not nearly as impressive by the time you find the camera. That urge to get rid of the hellish dust beast doesn't help, either .

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

dust beast

"dust beast," lol

 

[0roo0roo]

I'm not necessarily worried about how much noise it causes, but about the buildup of dust inside the desktop, and the dust being collected and expelled by the PC...

ugh..if dust is building up in the pc there is dust in the room, if there is dust in the room there would be dust in the room with or without the pc....

why are you afraid of dust? you moving your body kicks up dust.

 

[Dark Shroud]

Depending on how much dust your home has just pop the thing open and vaccum it out. That way you won't have dust & grim flying all over. If you have a high need of compressed air then just get yourself a strong blow dryer. They don't cost more than 3 cans of air and are far cheaper in the long run.