The Effects of Dust on an LCD TV

LCD, or liquid crystal display, televisions are commonly found in homes. These flat-screen televisions offer great image quality and large screen sizes while taking up far less space than traditional big screen televisions. To maintain LCDs in working condition, ensure they are dust-free.

The most severe problem dust can cause in an LCD TV is a short circuit. This occurs when dust enters the television's casing and settles on one or more of the internal circuit boards. Enough dust can cause a short circuit, which will prevent the TV from working at all. In other cases, it will damage picture quality or prevent certain features from working properly.

Because a short circuit can only occur when enough dust is present inside the TV, this problem happens after the TV has been in use for a number of years, meaning that it will not be covered under the manufacturer's warranty. In many cases of short circuits, repair is expensive, and you are better off buying a new set.

Dust can also have an effect on an LCD TV's picture quality without entering the LCD's casing. Dust that settles on the surface can distort the picture and decrease its brightness. While it's easy to wipe the dust away, use only a soft cloth and mild cleaning solution to avoid scratching the screen or causing permanent damage with caustic cleansers.

Dust under the screen can be more difficult to clean. Using compressed air to blow the dust out is the best option, short of disassembling the set to clean the screen from the inside. Keeping the surface of the screen free of dust is usually sufficient to prevent dust from getting under the screen.

Another effect dust can have on a an LCD TV occurs when it enters the space around buttons, making it difficult to control the television. On certain sets, dust will cause buttons to stick or prevent them from engaging when pressed. Using compressed air to blow the dust out, or resorting to using only the remote control, will solve this problem.