Essential IT Housekeeping This Summer

July has come around so quickly, and with it have come heatwaves and summer holidays, so what are the essential and simple IT housekeeping necessities you need so your computer can beat the heat and you can work securely while travelling this July and August?

1. Keeping your computer cool and functional

Heat is a common cause of hardware problems, particularly during prolonged use or in poorly ventilated spaces. If internal components such as the CPU or hard drive overheat, they can harm performance completely or even shut down to prevent permanent damage.

Here's what you can do:

• Clean out dust from air vents, fans and internal components if you use a desktop or high-performance laptop. Dust buildup blocks airflow and insulates heat.
• Avoid placing laptops on soft surfaces like beds or cushions. These can block vents and raise internal temperatures by several degrees.
• Use a cooling pad if you often work on a laptop for long stretches.
• Ensure good ventilation around your desk. Even a small desk fan can help prevent overheating in hot rooms.
  
  

2. Back up your data and test it.

Backups are essential year-round, but especially when summer travel increases the risk of theft, loss or accidental damage.

Use a cloud service that encrypts data in transit and at rest.

Keep a local backup, such as an external hard drive, but make sure it’s not always plugged in — ransomware can spread to connected drives.

Test your backups. It's not enough to have them; make sure you can actually restore files from them. Set a reminder to test this every couple of months.

3. Check your cybersecurity hygiene 

Working remotely from hotels, holiday rentals or cafés introduces new risks. Unsecured networks and borrowed devices aren’t always trustworthy.

Use a trusted VPN when working from public or unfamiliar networks.

Turn off file sharing and enable your firewall, especially when connected to Wi-Fi you don’t control.

Avoid using personal devices for work unless they meet the same security standards: updated antivirus, strong passwords, encrypted storage, etc.

4. Tidy up your digital workspace

Cluttered desktops and overloaded inboxes make it harder to work efficiently and can even slow your machine down.

Delete files you no longer need, especially large media files or temporary downloads and organise your folders and consider archiving old projects. Clearing your browser cache and uninstalling software you don’t use can also free up system resources and will reduce potential failures and vulnerabilities. 

5. Think Ahead for Cyber Threats

Cyber criminals don’t take holidays. Some actively target businesses during quiet periods, knowing there may be fewer staff around to spot suspicious activity.

Phishing emails, fake invoice scams and malware-laden attachments are all more common during the summer months, particularly when finance or admin teams are short-staffed. Make sure your team are reminded of basic cybersecurity measures before the holidays begin and encourage them to double-check anything that seems out of place.

Fitzrovia's clients benefit from real-time antivirus, email filtering and cyber threat monitoring, giving you peace of mind that your systems are protected even when you’re not in the office.

Let Fitzrovia IT Keep Things Running This Summer. 

While these 5 tips aren't just for the summer, if it's hot and you're working remotely, they're especially worth the extra attention. A few minutes of routine maintenance can prevent performance issues, protect your data, and help your devices run smoothly.

At Fitzrovia IT, we offer expert support that helps your business stay efficient and secure all year round. Whether you need help setting up secure remote access, preparing for staff absences, or upgrading your backup systems, we've got you covered. 

Get in touch today to find out how we can help you stay on top of your IT while you focus on making the most of the summer.