4 Great Ways On How To Protect Electronics From Water Damage

Have you ever accidentally spilled water on your gadgets? Well, here’s how to protect electronics from water damage.

We sometimes get clumsy and get our precious gadgets in danger. In these situations, we must not waste any single second and act immediately.

With the risks of flood and other water-related calamities happening, it is not important to protect yourselves and your family from harm. It is also essential that you keep your valuables, especially electronics, dry and protected.

 

How can water damage your electronics?

Water is not a friend to electronic devices but it does not exactly mean destruction although it can trigger different problems. It can corrode your devices and cause a chemical reaction with the circuit board and metal.

Oftentimes, electronics can still function even with corrosion, but issues may be noticeable and complete failure may occur over time. Although this is quite a luck, it is still best to protect your electronics firsthand and avoid water damage from occurring.

 

Ways Of Protecting Electronics From Water Damage

Here are some of the things you can do to keep your electronics away from water damage:

 

1. Use moisture sensors

You will never know when a flood will rush into your house or when water pipes are going to break, so it is best to be prepared unless you live in a desert. Installing moisture sensors into your home systems will alert you of the danger so you can immediately put your electronics into safety.

 

2. Place your electronics in elevated areas

High places are at low risk not just to floods, but also from small accidental water spills that happen at home. Try your best to keep electronic devices at least a few inches off the ground.

Be mindful of where you choose to store your electronics as it will determine the danger of water damage. Aside from keeping them elevated, keep anything that contains water away from them.

 

3. Keep electronic devices in waterproof containers

There is no better protection from water than being waterproof. If you know that the location of your electronics is prone to water leaks and spills, might as well put them inside something that is waterproof.

 

4. Unplug electronics when not in use

Although water can still do damage to unplugged electronics, it will be a lot less than what it will be if they are plugged in. In case of water leaks or spills, short circuits and other incidents can be prevented if the device is not connected to electricity.

 

What if your electronic device gets wet?

Of course, in all ways possible, you would want to save your electronics from water damage. Here is how you can do it:

Step #1. Get the device out of the water as soon as possible.

Step #2. Remove the battery.

Step #3. Remove the SIM and memory cards if you can.

Step #4. Remove all external connectors and covers.

Step #5. Remove other peripherals, set aside, and allow them to air-dry.

Step #6. Find out if there was water damage by looking for the signs.

Step #7. Leave the device to dry for at least 48 hours up to multiple days depending on how long it has been submerged without trying to turn it on.

Doing these may not guarantee that your device will be safe from water damage, but it will prevent further damages from occurring.

 

Can water-damaged electronics be recovered?

In cases where the device has been submerged completely in water, its internal circuitry may have been badly damaged and is beyond repair. Although you can replace the damaged parts, the cost of the repair and parts might be expensive. Submerged electronic devices are better replaced than repaired.

However, when electronics are not completely submerged, they can still be functional. Nonetheless, manage your expectations as there may be issues occurring from time to time.

 

Does rice really help in drying out electronics?

As an old rule of thumb, electronics, usually mobile phones, must be put in a container of rice to dry when soaked in water. Most of us have been practicing this with the hope of saving our devices.

This is until it has been found out that it is not actually effective and may actually cause more damage. Putting your wet devices in a pack of rice will only introduce starch and dust to the device and will not really take the water out of it.

 

Conclusion

In these modern times, there is no doubt that electronics (together with technology in general) plays a big role in almost everyone’s life. Some people even give so much care to their devices that they are willing to do everything to protect them.

As they have been really helpful to our lives, it is just right that we take care of them. The process of knowing how to protect electronics from water damage is something we all should learn. Just as the old saying goes, prevention will always be better than cure.