DIY: Install a cooling fan in your media cabinet

(Credit: CBS Interactive)

Shoving all your home theater equipment into a single, closed cabinet makes sense when you want to keep your living room tidy. There's just one problem: overheating.

When you have things like a router, gaming console, cable box, and DVD player all mingling in one cabinet, things can get steamy. So much so, in fact, that a lack of air circulation can eventually fry your equipment. (Ring of death, anyone?)

The most obvious solution here is to remove the door from your media cabinet, but if you're bent on keeping the appearance of your living room clean, the next best thing is to install a cooling fan.

Follow the step-by-step guide and video to install a quiet, temperature-controlled fan that keeps your cabinet cool and your gadgets happy.

How to install a cooling fan

Materials

• A cooling fan. I recommend a single or dual thermal-controlled fan, depending on the side of your cabinet.

Tools

• Speed square measuring and leveling tool


• Masking tape


• Drill and 1/2-inch drill bit


• Screwdriver


• Jigsaw


• Measuring tape

Method

Step 1: Determi... [Read more]



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