Can Cold Temperatures Damage Desktop Computer Towers?
Condensation Computer towers contain electrical components which may be damaged by condensation. If a computer has been left in a cold environment, wipe any frost or condensation off it. Turning on a computer which is moist could destroy the hard drive. Let the computer warm up first. Thermal Stress Turning on a computer which has been placed in a cold environment will cause it to heat up too quickly, which could cause irreversible damage. Desktop towers are vulnerable because they house the computer’s hard drive. The PC Guide website notes: “Thermal stress is a leading cause of premature failure of electronics components. This is bad enough when the components are raised from 70 degrees to 150; when they are raised from 0 to 150 it is much worse.” Considerations The PC Guide website advises that the length of time you wait to switch on a computer exposed to cold temperatures should be determined by how cold the equipment is. Wait for around 12 hours if the desktop tower has been in a
