Why keeping your electronics cool is essential for protecting them—and your furniture
Using home theater furniture is a great way to safely store your electronics while keeping them out of sight and preserving the aesthetic of your living space. When buying your furniture, many factors come into play, but one factor in particular is often overlooked: keeping your electronics cool and preventing them from overheating.
When electronics overheat, all kinds of problems can occur. You can have issues with your internal chips, and the pixels on your screens can lose their vibrance—it’s even possible for fires to start. Although your electronics won’t stay new forever, keeping their temperatures down will help them stay in good condition and should extend their life spans.
Keep your electronics cool with open, well-ventilated consoles like the Cavo by BDI.
Because there are so many options, it can become overwhelming deciding which products are best for you. To make it easier, we’ve created a short guide to what you should do—and should not do—when storing your electronics.
DO
Ventilate
When your components are in an enclosed area, heat can quickly accumulate and start to cause problems. One of the best ways to keep your electronics cool is to select furniture with a built-in ventilation feature, such as slatted door panels, which will ensure that hot air doesn’t recirculate in your system’s hardware. Each component—be it a TV, speaker, or printer—should be given about 2-3 inches of space between itself and other objects, while the vents around each item should be clear of obstructions. Fans and cooling devices are also great options for areas where ventilation is not available.
The Archetype Series by Salamander Designs keeps electronics cool and still looking classy.
Power Off
Some things need to stay on all the time—like your air conditioning or refrigerator, for example— but this isn’t true with your electronics. Turn your components off when they are not in use to help them, and the furniture around or surrounding them, stay cool. If a component does overheat, it should be immediately shut down and disconnected from its power source until it is completely cool to the touch.
Keep Clean
It is very easy for dirt and dust to find its way into your electronics, often getting stuck in internal fans and other integral parts of your system. Regular cleaning can keep your components working smoothly and help prevent overheating. A quick blast of compressed air and a good dusting will keep your electronics running at their best.
DON’T
Stack Your Components
Not all components put off a lot of heat, but more powerful electronics like a DVR or an AV Receiver can generate more heat than you would think. These electronics produce enough heat on their own, and the added heat the comes from stacking can only harm them. Utilizing shelving will keep your components spread out and cool and will make sure that the vents on all of your electronics have access to open airflow.
Semblance by BDI provides lots of shelving space to keep your TV area organized and uncluttered.
Keep Electronics in the Sun
While this may seem obvious, it is often ignored or not thought of. Placing your computers, televisions, and other devices in direct sunlight can be very harmful for your electronics. Be sure to move these components to a shadier area—it is a simple way to keep them cool and will keep them working better for longer.
Use them 24/7
Take some time to look up from your computer or phone and enjoy the people around you! You don’t need to constantly be plugged in, and your electronics will benefit from the break. Spend some time outside or get together with your friends. Technology is great, but human relationships deserve attention too!