Heat is thy enemyComputers get hot. We know this from the loud fans bolted inside our desktops, and the alarming burning sensation we feel on our legs after using a laptop for too long. Everything inside a PC generates heat, and heat can cause components to become unstable and crash your PC. Indeed, computers are designed to crash as a last-ditch effort to protect their own internal components from permanent heat damage. If you suspect your PC isn’t effectively dispersing enough heat, first check to make sure all your fans are spinning properly. If one isn’t moving, or appears to be spinning abnormally slow, check its connections to make sure it’s properly powered. If all appears fine, but the fan still isn’t doing its job, it’s best to replace it. Next, make sure that all of your PC’s vents, grates, and filters are unhindered by dust, pet hair, and other gross materials that prevent proper airflow. These areas are hotbeds (pun intended) for heat buildup. If you find any problem areas (see the disgusting example below), use a can of compressed air to clear the airways. For laptops, make sure that the machine is on a hard, flat surface that won’t “smother” the chassis around its vents, thus restricting airflow