How to Reduce Projector Noise in 3 easy steps!

Projector’s Noise can be one of the biggest challenges projector owners have. Projector noise can be because of many reasons like faulty cooling fan, poor ventilation, etc. Noise can disrupt presentations or while watching movies.  While buying a projector, you should consider this factor, or you will face it afterward. Some tips and solutions can fix these issues, which we’ll discuss later in the article. Let’s read more about projector noise causes and their fixes.

Speaker element with projector and background

Why can a projector make noise?

There can be many reasons that cause the projectors to create noise. The reasons can be prolonged use, dust, noisy fan, etc. Let’s discuss the causes of noise in the projector:

  • Prolonged Use

Everything starts getting older with time and creates problems. If you’re using the projector for a long time, it’s more likely to be loud. Using the projector for too long causes heat in projectors. If you want to ensure longer projector life, you should turn it off once during long sessions. Home projectors are good for watching one movie or things that don’t take all day. For longer viewing, like for long-sessions, you either rent a projector or give some break between the sessions. It will ensure a longer life.

  • Dust and Oil Build-Up

It happens mostly that the projector’s users don’t clean the projector’s filters and fans often. Due to this reason, dust and airborne fibers accumulate, which impacts temperature regulation. It causes the fans to work harder to let cold air and hot air out. The increased heat retention can cause damage to the components. It also makes the projector louder. There can be two sources of dirt and dust. One can be the oils and contaminants on our hands.

The second can be the debris floating in the air. Contaminants from our hands only impact the outside, which you can easily clean. The dust in the air can accumulate inside, causing fan noise and such problems. The dirt inside the projector causes heat retention, short circuits, jam fans, and fires.

  • Poor Placement and Ventilation

The two most common things to create noise in projectors are poor ventilation and placement. For temperature regulations, there should be good ventilation. Ventilation needs to be good to pull in cold air and push out hot air. Blocking of airflow requires fans to spin faster, especially in the case of a lamp. Placing the projector rightly improves the airflow and reduces fan noise. Poor placement can cause poor ventilation because air can’t flow properly. Placing at the right distance with some space between the projector and wall can help to avoid it.

  • Electrical or Mechanical Failure

Electrical or mechanical failure can also be a cause of the noise. In this case, grinding, crackling, or noise is an indication of electrical and mechanical failure. Such signs require you to call a licensed technician to resolve the problem. These failures include a defective fan or a worn electrical connection which require some professional. If you address these problems early, you can avoid serious outcomes. The causes of these failures and problems can be excessive heat. You can avoid these problems by taking measures to keep the temperature down.

Projector Noise Reduction Solutions

Many reasons cause the projector to create noise. For every reason, there’ll be solutions that can reduce the noise. Some simpler ways help in projector noise reduction without being more costly.

There are also some 4k projectors and regular projectors, that don’t have these problems as they have smart sensors in the fans of the projectors that deter and get rid of dust instead of it all building up in your projector and causing further problems.

Projector projecting image out of screen
  • Improve Air Circulation

You should mount or place the projector in a way that it’s not blocking the projector air vents. It helps the projector to have more efficient temperature regulation. The projector provides quieter operation when you mount it rightly. There can be two ways of improving air circulation. One is to place the projector on a hard and firm surface. It should have enough clearance to the top of the projector. The second is ceiling mounting the projector away from the wall. You should do mounting with separation from the ceiling. If the fans are on the bottom of the projector, you can turn it upside down. 

This can be a little bit of a struggle if you are projecting in small areas such as a dorm room, but also you may be able still to improve your air circulation by putting fans in the room or opening a window to keep your dorm room projecting as safe and effective as it can be!

Do it only if the top of the projector is sturdy enough to hold its weight. After placing it upside down, you can flip the image while projecting the image. You can avoid projector fan noise by avoiding placing the projector in a closed space. When you place the projector in a closed space, the fans get trouble sucking air in and out. If the projector is in the cooled or air-conditioned room, it will help the fans run smoothly. A Cooled or air-conditioned room will reduce stress on the internal temperature regulation mechanism.

  • Clean and Dust Your Projector

There’s a regular need forfan with dust all in it cleaning the projector to ensure proper ventilation. You should clean and clear the air vents, air filters, and fans of any dust or dirt. It ensures better temperature regulation of the projector. You should also regularly clean the area around the projector; otherwise, the dirt from the surroundings can get into the projector. It’s easy to clean the surroundings as you can dust them with a damp cloth. With the use of a computer duster, you can clean the inside of a projector. A computer duster is a can of compressed gas with a straw to clean the projector.  You can see the cleaning ways in the projector documentation.

Replace the Fan

If your projector isn’t providing smooth operation, you can go to a licensed repair technician. Sometimes a plastic fan might not provide smooth operation, and it needs fixings. If the projector heats up quickly, you should also get some repairs from the technician. Projector noise requires only slight modifications in the room or projector in the shape of fan replacement. You can increase the projector life by ensuring proper ventilation and repairing.