General PC question Do you use a front case dust filter?

glasskuter · Nov 19, 2021

I know this question is not Windows 11 related but I'm trying to filter dust out of my new PC. It was designed to intake air through perforations in the front cover. I have since added an intake fan. I looked at some sort of plastic material with a bunch of holes in it that was advertised to filter dust, but can't see how it would do much good. As a temporary measure, I made my own out of the black straw material from an air conditioner filter along with a piece of panty hose. I cut it to fit inside the front cover. It's god-awful looking but seems to be helping. I've monitored temps to make sure I didn't restrict air flow. Do any of you use dust filters and if so, what kind?

NavyLCDR · Nov 19, 2021

I use the black mesh material that came with my computer case, it's in a plastic frame. It's probably this stuff:

Amazon.com

glasskuter · Nov 19, 2021

NavyLCDR said:
I use the black mesh material

Yep, that's it. Does it work?

jaree1961 · Nov 19, 2021

glasskuter said:
Yep, that's it. Does it work?

It does reduce the dust on mine :)
You just have to remember to check it every now and then, and give it a clean.

Wisewiz · Nov 19, 2021

Hey, glasskuter, I'm all out of pantyhose, but I think the filters advertised on Amazon (ref Navy above) are all good, so long as you take 'em out and give 'em a good vacuum-cleaning periodically. Left to their own designs, they get clogged enough to choke the life out of your CPU fan.

NavyLCDR · Nov 19, 2021

glasskuter said:
Yep, that's it. Does it work?

Static helps.

glasskuter · Nov 19, 2021

Wisewiz said:
I'm all out of pantyhose

I don't use them any more either so they went into the computer. Thanks guys for the suggestions. I ordered that PVC stuff, and who knows, I may end up stretching panty hose over the top of it, at least directly in front of the intake fan. I come up with these weird ideas that most times, don't work.

Ghot · Nov 20, 2021

glasskuter said:
I don't use them any more either so they went into the computer. Thanks guys for the suggestions. I ordered that PVC stuff, and who knows, I may end up stretching panty hose over the top of it, at least directly in front of the intake fan. I come up with these weird ideas that most times, don't work.

Stop right there, before you go any further...

Welcome to dust filter heaven...

Search results for: 'dust filters'

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AddRAM · Nov 20, 2021

Yes, and I clean them about once a month.

Stormforce · Nov 20, 2021

I also use the black mesh that came with the front cover
I clean it regulary and find the best way is to take into the gargden and turn the hose onto it

Cliff S · Nov 20, 2021

I only remove my dust filters when running benchmarks and I'm really overclocking on the edge of the bluescreen abyss, otherwise I keep them in, and brush them off once a week or every two weeks(I live in a high traffic area so lots of dust).

Slavic · Nov 20, 2021

Sorry if a bit off-topic, but I am not a fan of PC fans (pun intended). My approach is, the less fans PC has, the better, so I don't have any dust filter on the front panel as well as a frontal fan. My PC has only 3 fans, on CPU, on video card and PSU, but two last don't rotate when a performance is low. CPU fan works mostly with minimum possible RPM (200...250), so it's almost silent. Video and PSU are also switched to silent mode.

The less air flow inside PC case, the less dust it collects. Still, I need to clean time to time the case and especially CPU cooler using vacuum cleaner, about once a 2-3 months. Sure, if you use PC very intensively, my approach may be not very useful, but anyway...

Ghot · Nov 20, 2021

Me now... I'm a fanaholic. I can't get enough fans...
This is an old pic but shows the fans.

New pic. Same fans...

barman58 · Nov 20, 2021

I just try to set up any builds to have a net Positive internal pressure so that air naturally flows out of the case cold air drawn in at the front through filters, and exhausted at the rear and Top Rear My current desktop has the watercooler matrix at the front of the case with 2x 140mm fans with 2 120mm fans at the Rear / Top Rear the case is a closed workstation with a front "door" with filtered bypass ports on the front side edges

Even at idle you can feel the air flow into the ports, when I push the processor for heavy work (no gaming) I can simply open the case front to allow free airflow for better cooling - though the temps are so far not an issue

SIW2 · Nov 20, 2021

Panty hose will do the job.

If it looks a bit naff, you could use the black cloth stuff that goes on the front of loudspeakers. Cant remember what it is called. Might be speaker grille cloth. It is polyester or something similar, easy to rinse out.

Presumably you are attaching it inside the case behind the front grill. How are you attaching it?

Superfly · Nov 20, 2021

Slavic said:
Sorry if a bit off-topic, but I am not a fan of PC fans (pun intended). My approach is, the less fans PC has, the better, so I don't have any dust filter on the front panel as well as a frontal fan. My PC has only 3 fans, on CPU, on video card and PSU, but two last don't rotate when a performance is low. CPU fan works mostly with minimum possible RPM (200...250), so it's almost silent. Video and PSU are also switched to silent mode.

The less air flow inside PC case, the less dust it collects. Still, I need to clean time to time the case and especially CPU cooler using vacuum cleaner, about once a 2-3 months. Sure, if you use PC very intensively, my approach may be not very useful, but anyway...

What are your temps?

I have positive inner-case pressure flow - Two fans on the radiator push-pull, 2 exhausts (back and top) - no dust issues.

--- Updated ---

Just to be clear - No dust filter on mine - but forgot to mention a second intake above the rad - so 5 fans in all - super quiet except when it ramps on Windows start up.

A Guy · Nov 20, 2021

I have a near silent PC with 5 case fans and 3 filters (front, side, and bottom) as well as the fans on PSU and GPU and CPU Cooler. Fans don't have to mean lots of noise, you just need to have the right case, good air flow and quiet fans set low. Of course, I didn't need a monster size case :wink:

I don't game so no honking GPU and huge stress, so it may not apply to your usage

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A Guy

Slavic · Nov 20, 2021

Superfly said:
What are your temps?

I have positive inner-case pressure flow - Two fans on the radiator push-pull, 2 exhausts (back and top) - no dust issues.

--- Updated ---

Just to be clear - No dust filter on mine - but forgot to mention a second intake above the rad - so 5 fans in all - super quiet except when it ramps on Windows start up.

Cliff S · Nov 20, 2021

A Guy said:
Fans don't have to mean lots of noise, you just need to have the right case, good air flow and quiet fans set low.

Steve on Gamers Nexus has said more fans, equals less RPMs needed to cool, equals less overall noise levels

iko22 · Nov 20, 2021

glasskuter said:
Do any of you use dust filters and if so, what kind?

Basically "yes", I use the Dust Filters that were accessory with my computer case. I have Antec Performance One case which is supplied with two front case dust covers (about 6" x 6", 15 cm x 15 cm). The dust covers are detachable, making regular case cleaning more straight forward. The case is old now, but the features are great.

General PC question Do you use a front case dust filter?

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