stupid tube question of the day

Dgaylin-there are NO stupid questions, except for the ones you don't ask. I don't have a clue either when it comes to tube life. So what is the answer? Hopefully we can get some tube aficianados to chime in on this.
I have been a "solid-state" guy for close to 40 years, but decided to try a tube preamp with my S.S. monoblocks. It has been a "MAGICAL" experience and brings a whole new leval of wonderfullness and "ease" to the sound. But Russian-made 6h30 "super tubes" don't come cheap. At $300.00 a piece (x8 for my preamp) I watch my time on them, and don't leave my preamp on once I am done listening. I DO however leave it in "stand by" mode. And I know that burns up tube life, even if at a slower rate.
B.A.T. says that's not a problem, and that 6h30's should last 10,000 hours. But what about other tubes? What about the the scenerios you bring up? Tube c.d. players? DAC's? Amp's? Running "idle" versus running with a signal flowing through them? All very valid questions.
Will you "tube" guys please impart some of your experiences and knowledge with us tube newbees?

What about taking steps to cool the tubes down while they are in full operating mode? Such as running a small, quiet fan toward the tubes. Say one of those super silent computer fans, or A.T.M.fans (Active Thermal Management)? Could providing a cool breeze or flow of air directed toward the tubes be a solution? Extend tube life? Or would that not matter?
As we all know-Heat is not our friend. Most tube amps and alot of tube Pre's generate significant amounts of heat which can't be a good thing, right? If one could lower the ambient temperature in and around the proximity of the vacuume tubes, wouldn't it stand to reason that life span and efficiency would increase? What good is all that generated heat doing anyway? Please advise.