Valleyview’s summer days can flirt with 30 °C, and while most of us enjoy the sunshine, our computers definitely don’t. Hot ambient temps, extra dust, and marathon gaming sessions combine to push internal temperatures higher than usual. When that happens you’ll hear fans ramping up, frame‑rates dipping, and—worst‑case—random shutdowns or throttling.

Below are four quick fixes you can do in a single evening to shave 5 – 10 °C off your CPU / GPU temps and keep your rig humming all summer long

1. Check your Temps in Just two Clicks

Before your clean anything, get a baseline.

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager
2. Click Performance → GPU (Windows 11 shows both CPU and GPU temps).
3. Fire up your favourite game for five minutes, then Alt-Tab back and note:
   • CPU Temp: Ideally ≤ 80 °C under load.
   • GPU Temp: Ideally ≤ 85 °C under load.

Tools I recommend:

• HWInfo – full sensor read-out(free)
• MSI Afterburner – in-game temp overlay

If one of those numbers spike above the target, move onto the next step

2. Give Dust Nowhere to Hide (5-Minute Clean)

Dust is insulation. A thin layer on your front mesh or fan blade can raise temps by 5°C or more.

What you need:

• Can of compressed air or a hand blower
• Microfiber cloth
• Tiny brush or old toothbrush

Steps (Mid-Tower Case):

1. Power down and unplug the PC.
2. Pop the front panel off; most cases use six friction clips.
3. rise the dust filter under lukewarm water, pat dry, and let it air-dry.
4. Hold each fan blade still and give it a few short bursts of air.
5. Wipe any loose dust from the interior shroud and cables.
6. Slide the filter back in and clip the panel on

Quick Win: A clean filter can improve front-to-back airflow by 15% – you’ll hear fans spin slower right away.

3. Fresh Thermal Paste (Every 2 Years)

Thermal paste dries out over time, reducing contact between the CPU heat-spreader and your cooler’s cold plate. If your build is 24 months old (or older), and you’ve never re-pasted, you’re leaving free temperature drops on the table.

DIY Checklist:

1. Remove the cooler (4-8 screws, depending on model).
2. Clean old paste with 99% isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free pad.
3. Apply a peas-sized dot of new paste (Arctic MX-4, Thermal Grizzly, etc.).
4. Re-mount cooler in an “X” tightening pattern.
5. Boot and check temps – you should see a 5 °C or more drop under the same load.

Not comfortable inside the case?

I offer paste swap for $25-$35, paste included.

4. Airflow & Cable Tidy

Messy cables and blocked intakes force fans to work harder.

Do	Avoid
route long PSU cables behind the motherboard tray (zip-ties are your friend).	Letting a SATA bundle drape across the front-to-back airflow path.
Install at least on rear exhaust fan and two front intakes	Running three top fans as intake – creates negative pressure and dust
Keep the tower off carpet; place it on a board or hard floor	Shoving the case against a wall or in a closed cabinet

Extra Tip: Most Modern BIOSes have a “Fan Tuning” or “Fan Curve” section. Set a gentle curve that keeps fans under 50% until temps hit 60 °C – quieter desk, same cooling.

WHEN To Call A Pro

• Fans still roar or temp sit > 90°C under load
• System shuts down or black-screens after 15 minutes
• You spot “CPU thermal throttling” warnings in HWInfo
• You’d rather not risk static shock or stripped screws

I Offer Summer Tune-Ups for $40-$60, which include:

• Full dust clean (filters, fans, PSU shroud)
• Fresh thermal paste (CPU)
• Cable-management refresh
• BIOS & driver updates
• Before/after temperature report

Summer Special

Book a tune-up before August 31 and mention this post for %10 off of labour. Slots are available all summer, secure your spot early.

Need help or have any questions?

Email info@makewaycomputing.ca or use the contact form. I reply within 24 hours.

Stay cool and happy gaming!

-Creedance, Make Way Computing, Valleyview, AB