Whether your home theater is a solitary TV or a dedicated room full of sensory-tingling gear, regular maintenance will ensure your investment’s optimal performance and longevity. Modern home theaters incorporate many types of gear, and every device can require a different strategy or technique to keep it clean and trouble-free.
Heat is a Killer
Heat is the enemy of electronics. Always provide adequate space around electronic devices to promote convective cooling when possible. Stacked electronics in an enclosed cabinet or dedicated closet will concentrate heat, and these spaces should be monitored and modified as necessary to ensure adequate airflow. Companies like AC Infinity offer quality cooling options for cabinets, racks, and components that can quietly and effectively manage heat and promote a safer operating environment.
AC Infinity AIRPLATE T3 cabinet cooling system
Dust is Inevitable
Excessive dust buildup will clog an electronic device’s vents and restrict its cooling ability. Electronics with integrated cooling fans are especially susceptible to trapping dust. Check and clean these devices more frequently – an old toothbrush is ideal for dislodging dust on fan blades. A clean and dry microfiber cloth is perfect for removing dust from surfaces. However, use extra care when wiping across delicate surfaces, including gloss-finished components and the anti-reflective coatings used on TV and monitor screens. Before using a microfiber towel on these surfaces, please give it a good feel for particles that could cause scratches and replace or clean when necessary. Apply no more than gentle pressure when wiping screen surfaces, and never use glass cleaner or other chemicals on a modern display – only if required, lightly dampen a microfiber cloth with clean water to remove stubborn debris.
Microfiber towels
For wall-mounted TVs and monitors with adjustable stands, tilting the screen slightly downwards helps minimize dust collection on the screen surface. However, pay attention to the rear chassis and remove any significant deposits. Cleaning the vents on an edge-lit LCD TV is especially important after recent studies revealed accelerated aging and failure compared to LCD TVs with full-array backlighting designs.
Optics and Projectors
Optical lenses are a case where it’s best to avoid touching them altogether due to specialized surface coatings that degrade easily. A manual blower-style dust remover is a must-have tool for keeping a camera or projector lens dust-free. Never use spray can duster products on lenses or screen surfaces as they contain petroleum-based compounds that can leave a residue. Also, most canned spray-duster products are flammable. These products can ignite near significant heat sources like a running projector’s lamp module – ask me how I know! The forced-air cooling of projectors often incorporates a filter that should be periodically inspected and cleaned or replaced.
Giottos Rocket Air Blaster
Consider keeping an extra lamp module on hand if a lamp-based projector is a regular part of your home theater experience. While the latest lamp modules can last several thousand hours, they are almost guaranteed to expire moments before a vital viewing event when you and your guests anticipate a visual spectacle.
Peak PC Performance
Personal computers are amazingly effective dust-collection devices that require regular maintenance for peak efficiency. Pro tip: PC dust removal should always occur outdoors. I recommend investing in an electric-powered blower to speed up the process and make it less risky than spraying pricy, near-frozen canned duster gas at sensitive electronic components. My MetroVac DataVac Electric Duster is over twelve years old and running like new. Its 500-watt motor delivers a powerful and continuous stream of slightly warmed air to dislodge the dust bunnies.
MetroVac DataVac Electric Duster
Cable Connections
The ubiquitous HDMI cable is the backbone of every modern audio/video (AV) setup, and you should always have a spare for troubleshooting. Performance-wise, any new 2-meter and shorter HDMI cable, at any price, should handle any video format and resolution in use today. One instance in which I suggest spending more for an HDMI cable is for long runs where there is a chance that a high bandwidth signal may degrade – e.g., modern game consoles pushing HDR video at 4K resolution with a fast frame rate. For these scenarios, I turn to fiber optic enhanced HDMI cables like the 4K120/8K60 certified designs from companies like Cable Matters.
Cable Matters Active 8K HDMI Fiber Optic Cable
Firmware Updates
Firmware or software updates for your home theater devices and other electronics are especially critical when they are new. Manufacturers often release products without testing all aspects of functionality under all possible installation scenarios, which can result in various issues ranging from incompatibilities, missing features, or outright failures. Network-connected AV gear like receivers, televisions, projectors, disc players, and streaming devices often provide an easy-to-use menu option to check for firmware updates and apply them automatically. If you prefer not to have your gear connected to the Internet 24/7, at least set a reminder to check for updates once or twice a year – or as a first step when troubleshooting an issue.
TV software update menu
I recently encountered a late-model premium television with one HDMI port that appeared to have problems producing a proper-looking picture with some video sources. A firmware update from the manufacturer fixed this problem. Likewise, a new projector I was configuring had a geometry distortion with specific video content. Again, the manufacturer had a firmware update that corrected the issue.
Audio Tune-up
Many environmental considerations factor into the audio quality of a home theater system. Speaker positioning plays a significant role in sound quality, whether you have a lone soundbar or a dozen or more speakers driven by a capable AV receiver (AVR). Whenever possible, always aim speakers toward the primary listening position. While lower-frequency sounds can disperse across a relatively wide area, tweeter-style speakers that emit higher frequencies are usually highly directional and benefit the listener more when aimed appropriately.
Dolby 7.1 speaker setup guide
Most AVRs and some soundbar products incorporate room audio calibration technologies that can analyze the listening environment and provide optimized adjustments independently for each speaker. For microphone-based calibration systems like Audyssey and Dirac, I recommend using a tripod to accurately place the microphone at the approximate location of the listener’s head and point it straight up toward the ceiling. These calibration systems often provide a quick check for proper speaker wiring and subwoofer levels, and it’s a good idea to rerun an audio calibration after any significant changes in speaker placement or room furnishings.
Audyssey audio calibration microphone
Remotes and Batteries
Removing the batteries from an infrequently used remote control or other electronic device is a good idea. Premium televisions, projectors, and AVRs include remote controls that are expensive to replace with a factory original, and removing the batteries from an infrequently used controller will minimize the chance that an old leaky cell corrodes the contacts and ruins the device. If you need an inexpensive replacement for a lost or damaged remote control, search the usual online retailers for a well-rated knock-off or universal-style replacement. For families with young children or other household members where it’s only a matter of time before a pricy remote will be lost or damaged, consider substituting a low-cost replacement and safely stashing the original.
Keep it Cool
It is easy to extend the life of your home theater gear. Avoid restricting the cooling vents on your heat-generating devices. Avoid exposing your gear to additional thermal sources like direct sunlight or a room’s heating vent. Be extra careful when cleaning sensitive surfaces and coatings. Check for updated software and have some spare parts on hand when possible. Practical and essential maintenance will keep those sources of electronic enjoyment looking and performing like new for many years to come.
Robert is a technologist with over 20 years of experience testing and evaluating consumer electronics devices, primarily focusing on commercial and home theater equipment.
Robert's expertise as an audio-visual professional derives from testing and reviewing hundreds of related products, managing a successful AV test lab, and maintaining continuous education and certifications through organizations such as CEDIA, the Imaging Science Foundation (ISF), and THX.
More recently, Robert has specialized in analyzing audio and video display systems, offering comprehensive feedback, and implementing corrective measures per industry standards. He aims to deliver an experience that reflects the artists' intent and provides coworkers and the public with clear, insightful product information.
