Worried About a PC or Computer Fire? Here’s Everything You Need to Know

The world of smartphones has certainly disrupted traditional PCs and laptops, but they haven’t gone away quite yet. Many users who enjoy online gaming, cryptocurrency mining, and high-end graphic design rely on overclocked computers to manage the processing power required for such activities.

Electrical distribution in a home wiring setup causes around 425 deaths, 1,279 injuries, and upwards of $1.6 billion in property damage. That might not seem like a lot of risk, until you smell burning plastic coming from your Raspberry Pi DIY crypto miner in your office. Being aware of what could happen, how to clean up the mess before it gets worse, and taking preventative measures go a long way to ensuring you minimize computer fire damage.

Why Are PC Fires on the Rise?

As a species, we are pushing computers to their limits. Constant uptime to meet social media needs or increasing wattage for AI-integrated art projects can cause overheating. In some cases, this is due to dust or poor airflow. In other cases, it is because the low-quality power supply you purchased for an extra component doesn’t have a heatsink to offset the risk.

Some of the more common reasons for a PC fire include:

• Dust Accumulation: PCs are typically stored under a desk or in a corner somewhere. They don’t get the airflow needed to keep the CPU, GPU, and RAM slots cool. Without airflow, dust collects, acting as an insulator, retaining more heat. If a short or spark from a broken wire hits this dust, it leads to a fire. This risk is particularly high in business settings, where hundreds of servers operate continuously.
• Faulty Power Supply: The power supply unit (PSU) is crucial to a PC. It is what you need to power all components on your motherboard. When it is of low quality, has degraded from overheating in the past, or has a short circuit, it will spark or melt down. Even in premium “Frankenstein” PCs, that mismatched wattage will lead to a fire.
• Overclocking: It has become common to “overclock” a PC, meaning to take a GPU or CPU and run it at workloads significantly higher than what it was designed to manage. Without proper thermal solutions to mitigate the resulting heat, you will increase the risk of electrical arcing or surges. This is common in AI model training machines, video rendering, and crypto miners.
• Loose Connection: A PC is higher valued if there are multiple input/output (I/O) connections available. A power user wants to be able to plug in all the accessories and add-ons. If those connections or cables are not properly plugged in or seated on the motherboard, they will create arcing.

Laptops are not immune to these similar computer fire risks. The lithium battery inside laptops has only grown denser over the past few decades. If the device is left in direct sunlight, in a car, or overclocked for a university art project, the battery will swell, releasing gas and heat, which increases the risk of a fire.

What to Do Immediately If a Computer Catches Fire

It is perfectly natural to stress out when a fire occurs, especially when it happens to your PC, where all your family photos, banking information, and personal files are located. However, standing there and watching smoke curl up to the ceiling is not as good as acting.

To start, remember what not to do. Forget about pouring water onto an electrical fire. That is likely to lead to a greater risk of electrocution. You don’t want to try to remove the PC while it is burning or open the case to investigate any melting parts. Your first step is to remain calm and assess the situation.

Next, unplug the device, as long as it is safe to access that cord. You want to remove electricity from continuing to run through the device. If you have an ABC dry chemical extinguisher (designed for electrical fires), use that to douse the fire as best you can. Be sure to remove any nearby flammable materials that could exacerbate the fire, as long as it is safe for you to do so.

Always evacuate the room and close the door if the fire gets too big to manage. The moment the area fills with smoke, you’re at greater risk of danger. The most important thing you can do is call 911 and emergency services while getting you, your family, and your workers to safety. The reason is that even if the fire is out, items like lithium batteries in laptops can reignite hours later from smoldering or overheating. You want a professional to put these in fireproof containers until they are safe to handle.

What About Laptops, Smartphones, and Other Devices?

PC fires are quick to make headlines because they are rare and often associated with tech-savvy activities, such as cryptocurrency or gaming. However, they are not the only cutting-edge devices likely to catch fire. Laptops, eReaders, tablets, and smartphones all carry risks. There was even a “battery replacement program” for the Pixel 7a due to battery swelling posing a danger.

Most of the danger related to tech device fire relates to:

• Installing an aftermarket or recalled battery instead of branded and proven components.
• Battery swelling due to chemical instability or overheating in direct sunlight and high temperature settings.
• Blocked vents (such as a bedspread or pillow) prevent good airflow from entering the device.
• Running programs, apps, or software that overclock the device and its CPU, GPU, or RAM.

One aspect to watch in the future will be the integration of new AI processors into leading laptops and smartphones. These are designed to run a version of AI directly inside the device, rather than relying on a web or cloud service. The technology is still in its infancy, so there may be a risk of greater heat.

Prevention Tips for Businesses and Home Users

Avoiding a computer fire is easy, as long as you’re willing to be proactive. Yes, cleaning the device periodically helps, but there are other concerns you need to address, especially if you’re running a business with multiple devices.

Schedule regular electrical audits with professional electrical engineers and forensic experts, such as our team at Dreiym Engineering. You’ll get a better idea of the electrical load and potential wire damage before running a video editing studio or setting up a new crypto miner. You should also invest in enterprise-grade surge protection. That will help you avoid a sudden loss or spike in power from a storm, a flipped switch, or other IT-related issues.

Some higher-end devices feature real-time thermal monitoring capabilities. These displays and smart sensors enable you to detect overheating before a fire occurs. Those monitors help, but you should also ensure that you clean your PC every 3-6 months using compressed air. Replace any damaged power cords and only use the PSUs and batteries recommended by your make, model, and PC brand.

Finally, stop charging laptops, tablets, and smartphones under blankets and pillows on your bed. Have a dedicated space on your nightstand so the device gets as much airflow as possible. After all, you don’t want to risk losing your info because you fell asleep watching repeats of NCIS on Netflix again.

Still Worried About a PC Fire? Call a Forensic Engineering Team

At Dreiym Engineering, we are often called to post-fire scenes to evaluate how the fire started, who is at fault, and how it could be prevented in the future. A PC fire is not something you chalk up to bad luck. This is because preventative steps were not taken, leading to your device overheating, surging, or creating an arc response due to electrical power and airflow inconsistencies.

We strongly encourage individuals and business clients to call our team for a complete audit of their system. The potential damage from a school computer lab or warehouse with outdated power strips is simply too high.

With over 30 years of experience in the industry, working for clients ranging from Texas oil refineries to Fortune 500 companies, we can ensure that your electrical systems can manage a crypto miner, an AI creator, or a row of server banks for your newly designed modern café. Give us a call today, and let’s schedule a consultation to help you prevent PC fire damage.