Is liquid-cooling your PC safe?

Liquid-cooled PC interior with blue liquid in pipes
(Image credit: Getty/spacedrone808)

It's a scary prospect, adding a custom liquid-cooling loop to your gaming PC. There's always the looming fear that, if it leaks, it could cost your entire setup. It’s a valid concern. PC parts are not waterproof unlike some high-end handheld devices, and we're taught from a young age that water and electricity don’t mix—presumably so we wouldn’t try and use the boombox for a mermaid dance party in the bath.

But if you get liquid-cooling right, the sense of accomplishment is, oh, so palpable. Plus, you get the added bonus of a cool PC. Not to mention improved performance, acoustics, and badass aesthetics.

There are risks of running liquid through a bunch of electronics, and leaking is one of them. However, it may not be as likely as you think.

In the four years since I first discovered the joys of custom water-cooling, I’ve had just one leak and it was entirely my own fault. A certain brand of radiator was known for cracked channels in the end plates. Instead of testing it prior to installing, I rushed through the final stages of my project and ended up with an orange pool in the bottom of my case. Had I done things the right way, this wouldn’t have been the case.

Taking your time to double check everything is the single most important rule of building a water-cooling loop. You need your fittings to be secure but not overtightened, and unused ports need to be secured with stop fittings, but don't rush through the process. 

Another tip to make water-cooling a PC safer: don’t mount your reservoir directly above your motherboard or power supply. Filling your reservoir only for it to immediately pour out through the drain port and ruin your expensive parts is a moment conceived of only in our worst nightmares. 

To avoid these kinds of disasters, carefully plan your loop in a way that mitigates potential damage that a leak could cause.

Leak testing is also very important. Always ensure that when doing so, either bridge your power supply with only the pump connected, or use an external supply to power the pump while checking for leaks. Unless you like trawling the net for any sign of GPU stock, never power any components while checking for leaks. If water hits an unpowered component, there's a chance you can dry it out and have it remain functional.

Cooling off

Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML360R and EK-AIO Basic 240 CPU coolers on a two-tone grey background

(Image credit: Cooler Master, EKWB)

Best AIO cooler for CPUs: All-in-one, and one for all... components.
Best CPU air coolers: CPU fans that don't go brrr.

Many people recommend leak testing for a full 24 hours, but I’ve found that when things go wrong, it happens pretty soon after you switch on. At the very least, test for a couple of hours; you will need to do so anyway to allow any air bubbles to escape.

If you follow these very simple rules, water-cooling can be a fun and safe hobby. The performance benefits aren’t as great as they once were but they are still evident, and the knowledge gained from putting together your first liquid-cooling loop is invaluable.

Having now considered the dangers, if you're still too concerned and decide that building a custom loop isn't for you, don't fret. There are other options. If you still want to have a liquid-cooled PC, you can opt for an all-in-one loop for your CPU, even  a water block for your GPU—though the latter is usually only worth it when integrated into a full loop.

Coolers such as the EK-AIO Basic 240 do a fantastic job at reducing temperatures, and come pre-filled and sealed from the factory, with warrantees to boot. Just check out our best AIO cooler for CPUs if you've decided a full custom liquid loop isn't your style. Otherwise, we've even tested a bunch of the best CPU air coolers, if you're not a fan (pun intended) of the water-cooled option.

Read more
A Be Quiet! cooler installed on a motherboard inside a gaming PC.
Air coolers are still cool
An Arctic Liquid Freezer III and Deepcool Gammaxx S240 pair of AIO liquid CPU coolers against a split grey background, with a PC Gamer Recommended logo in the top right corner
Best liquid cooler for CPUs in 2025: I've tried all the best AIO coolers and these are my top picks
An air cooler from Noctua and a liquid cooler from Arctic on a blue background with the PC Gamer Recommended badge in the upper right.
Best CPU coolers in 2025: I've loaded liquid and air coolers onto today's top processors and these are my favorites
A screenshot of a video on BiliBilli showing an air conditioning unit attached to a PC with Nvidia, AMD and Intel stickers.
The definition of overkill: Cooling an RTX 4090 to a claimed 20°C with a household air conditioning unit
Two pictures of Billet Labs' copper gaming PCs
This 4090-equipped water-cooled copper PC 'looks like a steam engine' and I'm in love
Be Quiet and Noctua CPU air coolers on an orange background with the PC Gamer Recommends badge in the upper right hand side.
Best air cooler for CPUs in 2025: keep your processor chilled with one of these budget-friendly and capable coolers
Latest in Cooling
Photo of Thermal Grizzly TG Putty
Thermal Grizzly TG Putty review
A screenshot of a video on BiliBilli showing an air conditioning unit attached to a PC with Nvidia, AMD and Intel stickers.
The definition of overkill: Cooling an RTX 4090 to a claimed 20°C with a household air conditioning unit
A Noctua NH-L12S cooler installed on a motherboard.
Noctua NH-L12S review
A Be Quiet! cooler installed on a motherboard inside a gaming PC.
Air coolers are still cool
The Thermaltake's new liquid cooler with a screen to display images and videos
You've heard of a CPU cooler screen, but have you heard of a *curved* CPU cooler screen? Apparently it has 'unmatched performance and visual appeal'
The Noctua NH-D15 G2 all put together.
Noctua NH-D15 G2 review
Latest in Features
Fragpunk characters with weapon drawn
The latest big game on Steam is Fragpunk, or as I like to call it, 'kitchen-sink Counter-Strike'
Screenshots from Half-Life 2 RTX, showing the various new effects delivered by full ray tracing and enhanced assets.
I just played Half-Life 2 RTX, a fully ray-traced overhaul of the original, and its meaty headcrabs have me hankering for more
In a world of WoW Classics and Old School RuneScapes… could Final Fantasy 14 ever do the same?
A child stands on top of a dinosaur exhibit, hugging the nose of a dinosaur skull.
As a real life museum employee, I'm a bit confused by the amount of pirate ghosts in Two Point Museum—but it's not going to stop me trying to make the most realistic exhibits I can
Honey B Lovely
The state of Final Fantasy 14 in 2025: It's in a weird spot, huh?
A hunter grins and throws two peace/victory signs while wearing a Mimiphyta helm in Monster Hunter Wilds.
Monster Hunter Wilds' best change is to its layered armor, letting me finally run amok with dressup the way I should have always been able to