Cleaning the hardware or checking the components of your computer require opening the case which may be dangerous to its health. The printed circuit boards inside your computer all contain small devices known as Integrated Circuits (ICs). There can be millions of individual circuits in one IC and they are all susceptible to damage from static electricity. Static electricity is a major contributing factor in the failure of computers. Eliminating damage from Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) leads to untold savings. Below are some things to remember as well as precautions to follow when working on your computer.

1. Unplug your computer when working on the inside or well known inside of central processing unit (CPU). You must unplug the power cord to ensure that there is no power to the motherboard.

2. Capacitors inside the computer can store an electric charge for a short period of time after turning off and unplugging the computer so it is wise to wait a few minutes after disconnecting the power plug before actually opening the PC case.

3. Get a grounded wrist strap from an electronics supply house and connect it to a ground before handling the parts, such as memory, video card, modem, hard drive, etc, inside your computer. If a grounded wrist strap is not available then touch a safely grounded object such as a metal pipe to discharge any static electricity that may have built up on your body.

4. To avoid damage due to static electric discharge, hold circuit boards by the edges and avoid touching the individual components, wires, chips, or capacitors.

5. Place components on a grounded anti-static pad or on the bag that came with the components whenever the components are separated from the system to prevent static discharge. Remember, avoid dropping your hard disk because cylinder of the hard disk is very sensitive and it may never work again if dropped.

6. Some parts are labeled as “No Serviceable Components Inside” which is not a challenge but a warning because they contain high voltage components which could cause you to hurt yourself if touched. Not all parts of a computer are meant to be repaired such as the power supply. If you determine that a part labeled “No Serviceable Components Inside”, then be smart and just replace it.

Failure to protect yourself can result to injury and also damage to your computer. The most common accident is loss of data caused by a hard drive crash. Remembering these simple things will help to protect you, your hardware, your software and your precious data.