This Air Is Free

In 2007 I had my friend Dave Jackman build me a new desktop computer. Dave owns a computer service business in Dubuque called Tech @ Your Door. He does all kinds of computer maintenance and has excellent customer service. The computer he built me in 2007 is still running like a champ and works perfectly for what I use it for. About a year ago I started having random shutdowns and Dave suggested using cans of compressed air to dust the interior of the tower occasionally. Sure enough, this solved the issue. This is one of the things I like about doing business with Dave. He's honest in his advice and service and always explores lower cost alternatives before resorting to replacing a part completely. I now dust out my tower once every four months and have not experienced a random shut down since starting this practice.

So why compressed air and not a vacuum? Apparently a vacuum will create static which can be harmful to electronics. I had been buying cans of compressed air like the one pictured below for about $4 to $5 per can. 

For my computer to get a thorough dusting, it takes about 3 cans. So being the cheapskate I am, I've discovered a way to clean the inside of my computer tower without spending $15 on compressed air. 

           

I got this "spot spray" container which is normally used for paint thinners and lubricants. It was $30 on Amazon after shipping. Apparently people buy WD40 and paint thinner by the gallon, load it into this container and then pressurize it so it's contents can be sprayed. I had the idea to just pump it full of air and use it for cleaning out my computer. It's working great. It can hold up to 200 psi, but my bike pump can only handle pumping it up to 110. I could take it to a gas station if I really wanted to get the full 200 psi into it, but I've found using the bike pump goes pretty quickly and it only takes a couple fills for a complete cleaning. So I would say my new found dusting method is a success. It's more environmentally friendly and best of all, this air is FREE! Thanks for reading.