Keeping out arthropod vermin

Grebuloner

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Jul 31, 2009
Messages
2,025
So, I have a number of spare computers that I generally only use for sporadic Primegrid challenges (power bill keeping me from running them all the time). For the sanity of my hearing, and to help keep them running cooler, I've placed them down in my unfinished basement on top of an old heavy workbench. After opening one up to swap out its PSU, I noticed some small insect corpses and a thread or two of spider silk inside the case. Luckily, no living residents. It's not remotely as bad as you see in some of those nasty ass computer pictures, but still, I'd rather it not happen at all. I did spray the bench with the Ortho insect killer defense stuff before placing the cases, but that doesn't stop them from getting inside on their way out of this plane. The bugs are smaller than the ventilation holes in the cases, and larger ones can climb through the rear fans when the computers are off.

Does anyone have any experience or advice as to preventing the incursion and potential damage of bugs? I was thinking of buying some mosquito netting and wrapping it around the block of cases but I've never lived anywhere it was necessary to own it and I'm not sure as to its ability to prevent other insects from getting inside.
 
For my basement server I did basically what you said, got some mosquito netting and wrapped it around the case. I rarely open it up but it seems to keep out the bugs, no case fans just a fan on the cpu cooler.
 
Nice, good to hear it works, thanks! Just ordered a bunch of fabric. Surprisingly cheap.
 
Diatomaceous earth around the edges of your basement. Acts as a desiccant disrupting an insects ability to regulate water and is cheap while being completely safe.
 
Diatomaceous earth around the edges of your basement. Acts as a desiccant disrupting an insects ability to regulate water and is cheap while being completely safe.

I assume this goes on the outside of the house? Getting colder here in Chicago, and spiders, centipedes, and all sorts of creepy crawlies are ending up in my basement where my room is at :(
 
you can put it inside as well, it doesnt hurt pets, but do not breath in the dust from it, bad for the lungs.
 
Diatomaceous earth around the edges of your basement. Acts as a desiccant disrupting an insects ability to regulate water and is cheap while being completely safe.

Good stuff, I use it around my house to keep flees and other insects away. Works wonders. You can find it at feed stores for pretty cheap.
 
Back
Top