Smoking and Computers

[faedother]

So I am a keyboard jockey. I am on a computer at least 6 hours a day. This is due to the fact that I am not only a computer nerd, I am a interior designer. This means I do most of my work on the computer. Because I use AutoCAD to do most of my work.

Here is the problem, tobacco smoke, really any smoke, does go well with computers. Mainly because the particles from the smoke tend to settle in the computer's fans and internal components.

So I was thinking about getting a desktop air purifier with a ionizer option. I would like to know if the community thinks this would be a good idea or if you have a better idea?

-Fae

 

[hobie1dog]

It would have to come with a powerful enough fan to draw the smoke into it to be filtered, which would be noisy since it would be in such close proximity to your PC to be efffective.

 

[pstlpkr]

Hi Fae,

There has been some discussion and varying opinions about air exchange systems and purifiers in strings of the past. But, as far as deleterious effects to computers owing to pipe smoke, I can only offer an anecdotal opinion.
I too spend at least 6 hours a day on the computer. I have never noticed any accumulation other than that-that would be attributable to the regular particulate matter to be found everywhere save "clean rooms".
However; I see no problem with the use of an air purifier/cleaner.

One proviso... Ion generators; while they make a room "feel" great (like the feeling one gets around a water fall) the Ions tend to make particulate matter settle and adhere to surfaces. That may be counterproductive to your intended purposes.
In my humble opinion.
Welcome to the fraternity!

 

[fred]

After a year with an ionizer, I was ready to pay someone to clean it

every week or so. I've been using a fragrance lamp, which really works

at binding with airborne odors and eliminating them, for about 3 years now.

I'm quite happy with it. A La T Da or Lampe Berger is a good investment.

Scented candles don't work and produce more soot than a diesel. These

lamps put out a free radical that operates in much the same way as ozone

does.

 

[igloo]

Well by the time the smoke damages the computer components it will be so outdated that it will be time to buy a new one anyway . You can not expect your IBM 286 to last forever . I bet lint build up will destroy it faster . If you smoke in a small room wash the walls and ceiling once in a while and your problems will fade away in the sunset .

 

[tanless1]

I recommend the use of Quality tobacco. When I smoked the saver brand;you could see the residue dripping down the walls an dashboard. I don't get that with the good stuff.

 

[igloo]

Time for a new truck or bottle of 409 .LOL

 

[bubbadreier]

I use a table top purifier and ionizer in my little smoke room, it does help but not very much! I am planning on trying one of the lamps Fred was talking about!

 

[tanless1]

Have you considerd a hooka in hall ?

 

[hauntedmyst]

In an interesting side note, Apple will consider the warranty void if you send your computer in for repair if they find evidence of smoking.

 

[yoru]

Who cares what Apple thinks? Building a PC is infinitely cheaper than even PCs let alone Macs. Plus, though if they find out they will sue you (and they will lose in most states -- but how will they find out), you can build your own Mac out of PC parts, some fun conversion software, and taking advantage of the fact you can buy a Mac OS now.
Anyway as for the direct topic. Cigarette smoke will not hurt your computer. Sure it -can- and sure enough it very slowly does. .. but the key here is that it is very slow. The 'battery'(some kind of charged crystal actually if I remember correctly) if your motherboard will die long before smoke can kill it. . . unless you're literally a freight train. I had a computer for 2 years back when I could smoke in the house where I smoked more than 2 packs a day in that room and when I scrapped it for parts after 3 years there was some residue, but it cleaned off and all the parts worked fine -- the thing was just so out-dated I kept the DVD-burner and some extra junction cables and tossed the rest.

 

[nyed001]

My office/computer room is a 10 by 12 room.The only problem I have with pipe or cigarette smoke is on my montitor.Just like the tv its a magnet for dust and nicotine.

Due to having a lab,an elkhound and a cat I have to open the computer housing atleast every other month to vac out the hair that accumulates around and in the fans.I have never found any trace of nicotine in there,just fur and dust.So I wouldnt really worry about any residue from smoking getting into the computer housing area.

Dont get me wrong,I use smokers candles and a small window fan so the smell and smoke dont linger in the room too long.Thats just my two cents,take them like a grain of salt.

 

[theotherspace]

To be honest I have worked as a web designer almost as long as I have been a pipe & cigar smoker, as your machine will need to be upgraded over the years you will have probably replaced it before the smoke residue can damage it.

 

[faedother]

So it sounds like that I should not really worry about the smoke particles settling on my mother board or any other component, any more than I would dust and pet air. That is good to know, thank you.

-Fae

 

[marmal4de]

I had my PowerMac G5 refused AppleCare service because the inside was "smoke damaged" and at that time only my parents smoked indoors!
Edit: I should also note, that I had no issues getting my mcbook pro repaired, and I spend +/- 7 hours smoking in front of it.

 

[faedother]

Maramal4de, are you saying that your laptop did receive smoke damage? If so what do you think could of caused that, just sheer amount of smoke, smoking near it for extended periods of time?

The reason I ask is because I want to make sure my 5,000 dollar investments, between my laptop and Desktop, are safe.

 

[fredvegas]

I'm not allowed to smoke in my house, but I visit a lot of body shops during the day. Old school body shops, with wood paneling and nobody under the age of 50 working there. Those guys smoke a TON and they're still rocking some old boxes, so if theirs can survive, I'm sure yours can. And you're not even ashing into the keyboard!

 

[faedother]

That is a very good point Fredvegas.

 

[yoru]

Oh yeah, ashing into the keyboard -- that did get annoying when I could smoke in the house -- you really get going on a an essay, next thing you know you feel a big plop of ash on a finger and then look at the mess on your keyboard. . . doesn't ruin the thing either, but looks tacky.

 

[marmal4de]

Maramal4de, are you saying that your laptop did receive smoke damage? If so what do you think could of caused that, just sheer amount of smoke, smoking near it for extended periods of time?

The reason I ask is because I want to make sure my 5,000 dollar investments, between my laptop and Desktop, are safe.

No I'm saying that it's hit or miss when it comes down to the technician, in my opinion there was no smoke damage in either, just a squeamish tech who didn't want to touch the smokey G5.