So you’re setting up your new workspace, and you’re trying to decide where to put your PC. It sure would save desk space if it were sitting on the floor.
A PC can be put on the floor, but it’s not ideal. Your PC is constantly drawing in air, and the dustiest part of an indoor space is the floor, including the first 12 inches of space up from the floor. In addition, carpeted surfaces can interrupt airflow through the PC cabinet, affecting cooling.
If possible, an ideal solution is to place it up off the floor on a hard, clean surface away from sources of dust and debris.
Why it isn’t ideal to put your PC on the floor
The main reason keeping your PC on the floor isn’t ideal is due to the dust and dirt typically found in most homes. As dust and fibers float through the air, the computer cooling system can pull the particulate into your PC. Those that don’t eventually land on the floor. Foot traffic kicks it up and makes it airborne again.
When we clean, we push it around with a broom which tosses it up into the air again. Every time it gets churned up into the air, there’s another chance for it to be pulled into your PC case. If you’re keeping your PC on the floor, make sure you’re taking the time to check it and clean it regularly.
If you’re a pet owner, then pet hair becomes another major contributor to the overall cleanliness of your machine. Some people have pets that don’t shed very much, which can help, but the same thing happens over time. Pet hair can actually compound the problem because it starts as just a few hairs across an opening.
Pretty harmless at first. But the added restriction and increased surface area added by the hairs causes dust and other particulates to build up even quicker. If this includes you, the number of times you need to clean your computer per year should be a little higher.
If all of this is the case, you may feel like there really isn’t anywhere that would be suitable. Fortunately, once you move your PC six to twelve inches up off the floor, the amount of dust is significantly less. It gets even better the further up off the floor you go. In particular, if it’s away from any windows, doors, or furnace vents.
Other factors that may impact your decision
There’s a higher chance of physical damage to a PC when it’s on the floor. Liquid spills often end up making it to the floor. If your PC is there, it could have liquid falling onto it or flowing into it from underneath. Also, physical impacts due to toys, children, or pets can knock your PC over or damage the cables running into the back of it.
A PC on the floor can be a tripping hazard, depending on how it’s positioned. It happens to be a great height for getting the job done. Of course, tripping over your PC is no laughing matter and can create a dangerous situation for the people in your home.
This could also mean that the PC is struck quite hard or is knocked over, potentially causing damage. If you put your PC on the floor, be sure to tuck it in out of the way, so it isn’t a tripping hazard.
Depending on how far from your desk surface you’ve placed your PC when it’s on the floor, the cabling can be exposed to damage. Anything that could land on the cables or pull on them has a chance of damaging the cable connectors and the ports on your PC.
It can also be quite unsightly. So if this is an arrangement that you want to use, make sure that you spend the necessary time to protect your cables properly.
Is it bad to put your PC on the carpet?
If you’ve ever rubbed your socked feet on the carpet to build up some static charge to shock a family member, then you know just how much electricity you can build up. You typically build up a negative charge on your body and a positive charge on the carpet when you do this.
While this allows you to deliver a good zap to someone, it could receive a similar zap if your computer is on the carpet. Using this method, you can build up more than enough electricity to destroy electronic devices like computers.
Your computer case should be grounded internally, and if your wall plug is grounded properly it should protect it, but why take the chance? Especially since the case grounding actually attracts an electrical charge. A better option would be to avoid placing your computer on a surface that promotes static electricity.
Add to this that carpets are a trap for dust, pet hair, and dander. Even if you keep your carpet very clean, it still attracts this stuff and can release it whenever the carpet is walked on. Not to mention that the carpet generates its own particulate.
Carpets, over time, release fibers that have become broken off with wear. The older the carpet is, the higher the traffic on an area of your carpet, the larger the volume of fibers released. All of this gets pulled into your computer when it gets kicked up into the air.
Carpets can interfere with airflow through the computer case. Computer manufacturers are often expecting computer owners to place their PCs on flat hard surfaces. That means they may design the computer with vents on the bottom of the casing.
If you place your PC on the carpet, you’re potentially blocking these vents, interrupting the computer’s ability to cool itself. You should be able to check if you have vents near the bottom or not. If you don’t have vents on the bottom, then I guess you need to make a value judgment based on the other items I’ve discussed.
If you do have vents on the bottom, you’re likely looking at a few different outcomes. The computer may have reduced performance as it throttles itself back due to overheating, or it may end up getting damaged.