How hot can my PC run before I should worry?

[roccenstein]

I have a case with a digital thermometer built into the front, and generally it doesn't go over 85 degrees Fahrenheit, give or take.  However, with the hot weather we've been having, it's been going up to 105-106 degrees, so I've just been turning it on to do what I need to do then shutting it down.  Now granted, this is the temperature inside the case, so some of the components could conceivably be running even warmer.  I already have three fans in the case, and don't have room to add more.  Should I be worried, or just put a desk fan in front of it?

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

I'm not sure exactly where I heard this but your computer shouldn't go beyond twice the temperature of the room. You don't need to worry about it burning up.

[Dusty]

some of the components could conceivably be running even warmer.

Your case temp should be ok but you should check the components temps against manufacturers specs esp the processor.

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

I suggest downloading Speedfan

[Broni]

I'm not sure exactly where I heard this but your computer shouldn't go beyond twice the temperature of the room.

I found this formula:

if your room/case temperature is 20C and your idling with a CPU that consumes 10watts in idling, by using heatsink thermal resistance of 0.30 C/W, you get 20C + 10 x 0.30 = 20 + 3 = 23C... But when your CPU is at full usage and consumes 100 watts, you get 20C + 100 x 0.30 = 50C at full load

http://www.computing.net/answers/cpus/define-idle-temp/13024.html

[JJ 3000]

An overheated system can cause intermittent problems or cause the system to reboot or refuse to boot. In fact, the temperature inside the case should never exceed 100 degrees F.

You can use a can of compressed air to blow out the dust from the power supply, the vents over the entire case, and the heat sink. Excessive dust insulates components and causes them to overheat.

Whatever you can do to reduce heat will improve your overall system performance.

[Dias de verano]

105 Fahrenheit is 38 degrees in modern temperature scale (Celsius), not hot at all.

I'm not sure exactly where I heard this but your computer shouldn't go beyond twice the temperature of the room

I'm not sure either! It does not make sense. If the temp is 1 degree C, (brrr!!!) then a case temp of 2 would be the limit. Temperature scale is not a measure of quantity, so "twice the temperature" does not make sense. Especially since twice a negative number is a bigger negative number, so if the room was -5 the case limit would be -10, i.e. colder than the room.

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

I meant twice room temperature, I didn't think anyone would be in a room 10 degrees.

[Dias de verano]

I meant twice room temperature, I didn't think anyone would be in a room 10 degrees.

Without specifying the scale, "twice" the temperature is meaningless. My room temperature right now is around 290 degrees Kelvin, but I don't think my computer case would be very happy at 580 K.

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

580 Kelvin? No wonder Dinosaurs are extinct... 

[Dias de verano]

Kelvin degrees are the same size as Celsius degrees but zero Kelvin is -273 and a bit degrees Celsius.

The kelvin unit and its scale, by international agreement, are defined by two points: absolute zero, and the triple point of Vienna Standard Mean Ocean Water (VSMOW).

This definition also exactly relates the Kelvin scale to the Celsius scale. Absolute zero—the temperature at which nothing could be colder and no heat energy remains in a substance—is, by definition, exactly 0 K and −273.15 °C. The triple point of water is, by definition, exactly 273.16 K and 0.01 °C. This definition does three things:

   1. It fixes the magnitude of the kelvin unit as being exactly 1 part in 273.16 of the difference between absolute zero and the triple point of water;

   2. It establishes that one kelvin has exactly the same magnitude as a one-degree increment on the Celsius scale; and

   3. It establishes the difference between the two scales’ null points as being exactly 273.15 kelvins (0 K ≡ −273.15 °C and 273.16 K ≡ 0.01 °C).

[Broni]

For those not aware of the term of "room temperature", yes, it does exist, and it's not a temperature in Eskimo's igloo, but..

Room temperature (also referred to as ambient temperature) is a common term to denote a certain temperature within enclosed space at which humans are accustomed. Room temperature is thus often indicated by general human comfort, with the common range of 18°C (64.4 °F) to 24°C (75.2 °F), though climate may acclimatise people to higher or lower temperatures.
[...]
For scientific calculations, room temperature is taken to be 20 to 23.5 degrees Celsius, 528 to 537 degrees Rankine (°R), or 293 to 296 Kelvin (K), with an average of 21 °C, about 70 degrees Fahrenheit (°F).[3]. For numerical convenience, either 20 °C or 300 K is often used.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Room_temperature
Now, Lord Kelvin may rest in peace.

[roccenstein]

I suggest downloading Speedfan

I ran this program, but I'm not really sure what I'm looking at.  While the program is running it shows a number in my system tray (77), and I'm not sure if that's just an icon showing the program is running or if it's the temp of my machine.  Also, after running it, it shows a whole list of temps in my system, most have a green checkmark or downward facing arrow next to them, but one labeled "core" has a little fire icon next to it and averages around 140-145 each time I run it.  (These are all in Fahrenheit, btw).  I tried to take a screenshot of the display after running it to show you guys the results, but couldn't figure out how to copy it (copy and paste didn't work either). 

[BC_Programmer]

copy and paste into paint, save, and attach to message.

[Broni]

one labeled "core" has a little fire icon next to it and averages around 140-145

That's 60-63C. If it's for idle computer, I'd turn it off, right away, and don't use it, until heat problem is fixed.
It'd be helpful to know what processor you have.