Laptop and PC overheating repair, from deep cleans to new fans.
A fan that roars, a laptop too hot to keep on your lap, games that stutter or a PC that shuts itself off. We clean out the dust, replace dried-out thermal paste and fix or replace failing fans.
- 1–3 days typical
- No fix, no fee
- 90-day warranty
- Free insured mail-in shipping
Signs you need this repair
Sound familiar? The diagnosis is always free.
- Fan runs loud even when you're barely using it
- Bottom of the laptop too hot to keep on your lap
- Sudden shutdowns during games or heavy work
- Performance drops after a few minutes of use
- Grinding, rattling or clicking from a fan
- A fan that doesn't spin at all
- A fan error message at startup
Why computers overheat
Heat travels from the processor and graphics chip through thermal paste into a metal heatsink, and fans blow it out of the case. When any part of that chain stops working well, temperatures climb and the computer slows itself down to protect the chips. That's called thermal throttling. If slowing down isn't enough, it shuts off.
- Dust and pet hair pack into the heatsink fins and block airflow. This is the most common cause, especially in laptops a few years old.
- Dried-out thermal paste stops carrying heat well over time.
- Worn fans spin slower, rattle or stop.
- Blocked vents from using a laptop on a bed, couch or blanket.
- Heavy load, from games and video editing to a stuck background process or malware.
What you can try first
- Use the laptop on a hard, flat surface with the vents clear.
- Open Task Manager and sort by CPU. If something you don't recognize is using a lot of it while the computer is idle, that may be the cause rather than the cooling. See virus removal if it looks suspicious.
- Install BIOS and driver updates from your laptop or motherboard maker. They sometimes improve fan control.
- Check your power mode. Many gaming laptops have a quieter mode in the maker's app that runs cooler for everyday use, and Windows 11 has its own power mode under Settings > System > Power & battery.
- On a desktop, clean the dust filters. Blow out vents with short bursts of compressed air, and hold the fan still while you do it so it doesn't overspin.
- Don't open a laptop to clean it unless you're confident. Ribbon cables and their clips break easily.
What a deep clean and repaste includes
Overheating repair starts from $69. We take the computer apart far enough to reach the cooling system, clean the fans and heatsink fins, remove the old thermal paste and apply fresh paste. Where the cooler uses thermal pads on memory or power components, we check them and replace any that are torn or dried out. Then we run it under load and check the temperatures. On many laptops the cooler sits under the motherboard, so the board has to come out to reach it, which is one reason we don't suggest doing this at home.
If a fan is worn, noisy or dead, we replace it, and the fan is quoted as a separate part. Some gaming laptops use liquid metal instead of paste. It conducts electricity, so it needs careful handling, and if yours has it we tell you what we did.
Gaming PCs and desktops
Desktops overheat for the same reasons, plus a few of their own:
- Clogged dust filters and too few intake fans.
- An all-in-one liquid cooler with a failing pump. The pump can fail quietly, so temperatures climb while the fans get louder.
- A graphics card fan that's worn or has stopped.
- Fan curves or BIOS settings left too quiet for the hardware.
We check airflow, fans and the cooler and tell you if a part needs replacing. Desktops can be shipped, but a big tower is heavy and awkward to pack, so a nearby partner store is often the easier option. Laptops ship easily.
How often should a computer be cleaned?
It depends on where it lives. A laptop used on a desk in a clean home can go a few years before it needs one. A laptop used on beds and couches, a home with pets, or a gaming PC on the floor near carpet may need it every year or so. Fan noise that creeps up over months is the clearest sign.
When you book, tell us when it overheats: at idle, in specific games, or only while charging. Include the charger with a laptop, and back up your files first.
Mail it in from anywhere in the US
No repair store near you? Book online and we'll email a free, prepaid, insured shipping label. We diagnose it within 24h of arrival, repair it once you approve the price, and ship it back insured. How mail-in works.
Questions
Is it dangerous if my laptop gets hot?
Modern computers protect themselves by slowing down or shutting off, so heat rarely causes instant damage. Running hot for months does wear out the battery, fans and other parts faster, though, and a laptop too hot to keep on your lap should be checked.
Will a cooling pad fix it?
It can help a little, especially on laptops that draw air from underneath. It won't fix a heatsink packed with dust or a fan that's stopped.
Why is my fan loud right after I turn the computer on?
Windows updates, antivirus scans and search indexing often run just after startup, so a few minutes of fan noise is normal. Loud fans that never settle down at idle aren't.
Can you make my gaming laptop run cooler?
A deep clean and fresh paste usually brings temperatures down on a laptop a few years old. We also check it's using the intended power and fan modes in the maker's control app. How much it improves depends on how clogged it was.
Do you replace laptop and PC fans?
Yes. A fan that grinds or rattles usually has a worn bearing, and cleaning won't fix that. We fit a replacement matched to your model, then check its speed and the temperatures under load.
More Computer repairs
Something else not quite right?
Laptop screen
Cracked, dark, flickering or lines on the display
Laptop battery
Won't hold a charge or swollen battery
Keyboard
Dead, sticky or repeating keys
Won't charge / power jack
Loose or broken charging port, charging faults
Virus removal & tune-up
Pop-ups, slow startup, malware and cleanup
SSD & RAM upgrade
Faster boot, more space, files moved over
Broken today? Start your repair in two minutes.
Three quick questions: your model, what's wrong, and how you'll get it to us. See your price, then book a nearby store or mail it in.