Did you know close to 75% of Americans own a laptop or desktop PC?
If you have a large garage that swallows your car and a bunch of other items and still leaves a sizeable free space, you are probably thinking of utilizing it.
Maybe you should bring in an extra couch or desktop PC.
So, Can You Put Your Gaming PC in The Garage?
Generally, no! But it can depend on the conditions in the garage. If the place is dusty and cold, no! Unless you make some changes to your garage to improve the conditions for your pricey machine, don’t take it there.
Five Reasons Not To Use A PC In The Garage
1. Temperature-related Issues
Anything that operates on spinning or rubber parts is sensitive to high or cold temperatures.
This could be your gaming PC’s CD/DVD/Blu-ray drives or cooling fans.
The CPU likes to operate in cold, but an excess cold can easily progress into dampness which may break the wafers or corrode the contact pins.
The lubrication on hard drives and fans will certainly break down under high temperatures.
It is also known to malfunction in cold winter conditions, so putting your PC in an uninsulated garage could be catastrophic.
Some gamers prefer to equip their machines with liquid coolers instead of traditional fans.
In fact, this class of coolants is a must-have if your PC is designed to run on the most demanding gaming processors because their insane heat generation capabilities outstretch the power of regular cooling fans.
Still, the temperatures may drop low enough to leak the rubber clamps, hoses, and gaskets
The thermal paste often smeared behind the GPU and CPU could fail as well if exposed to extreme temperatures but other parts of the motherboard would have stopped functioning before the situation escalates to this level.
You should probably prepare your device for low temperatures by wrapping it in a clean non-permeable polythene bag complete with a desiccant inside. Not only will it reduce moisture damage on the innards of the machine but also helps avoid rust/corrosion.
Also, take care not to use your PC before the room returns to tolerable temperatures.
2. Never Shut Down the Device
Say, you are trying to play a game from your garage in the middle of the winter when the temperatures are low and condensation is high under very little insulation.
If your machine seems to work flawlessly in these conditions, you should leave your machine running once you are done.
Otherwise, you could fry some components the next time you turn them on as a result of the accumulated moisture.
If your machine is designed around ATX (Advanced Technology eXtended) architecture, you can leave it on power for ages without an incidence – there’s a saying “an ATX never dies unless you kill.” Leaving it in ‘standby’ mode takes less power but keeps it warm enough to prevent moisture from accumulating on the motherboard.
3. Dust Issues
Garages aren’t designed to accommodate giant electronics besides your car. It is not uncommon for even the most well-maintained garages to accumulate dust within weeks of disuse.
The main reason your garage space is always dusty is the concrete floor, but dusty wood with lots of mites can be problematic as well.
Because concrete consists of 3 major components: cement powder, aggregate filler, and sand it can produce dust if it is scratched regularly or subjected to heating.
You don’t want to expose your pricey gaming PC to dust.
A big part of the dust will settle on the surfaces in the garage and up inside the computer.
The accumulated dust can negatively impact your PC’s performance in 2 major ways:
- it causes some components to retain heat which is bad for the processor.
- Secondly, it makes it a bit difficult for the cooling fans to remove heat from the components, thereby reducing the efficiency of your system.
4. Garage Accidents
The garage isn’t the safest part of your home.
Besides doors that may come hurtling down, some of the chemicals used in this space may end up on your machine and prove to be just as bad as they are to your health.
Depending on the size of the space, driving into it alone could pose a safety risk to your gaming PC, especially if the room is small or overcrowded.
The floor underneath your car’s parking spot can easily get slippery as a result of algal growth, dripping oil, or spilled vehicle grease.
Slipping near your computer could mean knocking it over to the floor.
You should clean the garage often to avoid such accidents whilst careful enough to spill the water on the machine.
You will also need to be careful with the kind of cleaning substances, solvents, and adhesives you bring in this space.
Soaps that are tough on some of the most stubborn stains in the garage can also inflict everlasting damages if they fall on the wrong surfaces, like your computer.
Amongst the most destructive solvents to watch out for are those that come laced with benzene, carbon tetrachloride, and carbon disulfide.
Another hazard that should discourage you from bringing your computer into this space is fire.
Items like wood, paper, paint, paper, oils, and flammable material can start a fire and raze down the structure with your gaming PC in it.
To keep the garage safest, get rid of the fire hazards or store them elsewhere. If this space is the only room you can keep these items, be certain to reduce situations involving small fires and sparks.
5. General Garage Clutter
Just how cluttered could your garage get? It is never easy to put everything where it belongs.
Garage clutter doesn’t just stop at frustrating your parking efforts but goes an extra mile to make it hard to maximize the usefulness of the space.
You probably won’t have enough space to sit comfortably and work or play on your gaming PC.
Stacks of junk and clutter piled high in your garage may be unstable and may fall over if it doesn’t start a fire.
Is It Okay to Store A PC in My Garage?
Yes – as long as the room is dry and dust-free, you are free to store your PC in the garage.
However, be certain to pack it in the original boxes that were shipped with it complete with the padding material.
You can make your improvised storage box provided it offers the much-needed protection from impact.
Most importantly, ensure the garage is well-insulated to cut on the assault of the winter cold. If the garage temperature regularly exceeds 120 or plummets past 20 degrees Fahrenheit, consider finding friendlier storage space.
Related: Should Your PC Go Directly On The Carpet?
Conclusion
So, can you put your gaming PC in the garage? Generally, no! But it can depend on the conditions in the garage.
If the place is dusty and cold, no! Unless you make some changes to your garage to improve the conditions for your pricey machine, don’t take it there.
The garage isn’t the safest part of your home. Besides doors that may come hurtling down, some of the chemicals used in this space may end up on your machine and prove to be just as bad as they are to your health.
References
Will my computer survive in my garage?
Any advice on a computer in a garage?