6 Things to Never Do With Electronics
Electronics have Varying Degrees of Vulnerability
Electronics can range from cell phones and computers to tablets, keyboards and much more. Some things are more vulnerable than others, but ultimately, the rules are the same. Try not to do these things and your electronics will thank you.
Leave in Direct Sunlight or expose to humidity
Sunlight is bad in two degrees;
- Direct sun damage(or a hot car) is a known issue with a lot of phones and computers. It adds heat, which can damage the screen and shorten the life of the battery.
- When there is a lot of humidity as well, the hot humid air can cause condensation inside your electronics. Never keep your electronics in the bathroom when you shower.
Prolonged exposure to sub zero environments.
Cold isn’t very good for electronics either. If you do expose your devices to freezing cold such as in a car over night, take care when warming it back up. Turn it off and allow it to come back to room temperature in a very low humidity environment. Then let it dry out. The danger is condensation inside the device.
Expose to water and other liquids
We see this all the time, less so with desktop computers:). Keep it away from water. Don’t bring it to the pool, set your drink far away from it, and keep it off the ground or other wet surfaces. Sometimes capillary action can cause a device to draw water into the device, even when not submerged. Very few smartphones, smartwatches, etc are designed to be exposed to water. Ingress protection is basically double sided tape which degrades over time and with repeated exposure to liquids and especially solvents. If you have had your device serviced it is very likely you have NO PROTECTION if the technician did not take the time to reapply the water resistance material. Many shops (especially the quicker shops) dont take the time that we do to clean the old adhesive off, prime the surface and reapply the double sided adhesive aka. “gasket.”
Eat with on or around
Dust, Debris, and Particulate are part of the process, but that doesn’t mean Crumbs have to be too. Eating food then interfacing with your device is a great way to add more to the problem instead of taking away and certainly don’t ever eat buffalo wings and then interact with your electronic devices.
Need a good cleaning? We do it all. Common problems we see are the openings for the speakers, microphones and charge ports full of food particulates. We even open devices and do liquid damage cleaning(results may vary).
High Heat
Very high heat can melt plastics, solder joints, and discolor screens. Also high heat can cause damage to the battery and even cause it to explode.
Plug In Unprotected
There are countless power strips out there, but using an actual surge protector from a reputable company is well worth it. Also avoid super cheap AC-DC adapters, wall warts and especially car chargers.
Try to prevent Dropping and Bending
This is a hard one to talk about but it needs to be stated. Dropping your device, while common, isn’t something you should make a habit of. In addition to breaking the screen and back glass, dropping can also bend the frame and even damage the delicate circuit boards inside the device. Bending the device, even slightly, can be even worse. It is common for devices kept in back pockets (even “skinny jeans” front pockets) to become bent or warped(this is especially common for iphones). This can cause bad connections on the circuit board of the device which may be unrepairable or very expensive to repair.
If you are in an extreme environment or your trade or profession has alot of hazards consider a phone case with a metal bolt together frame such as the “Love Mei” or gorilla case brand. Your standard plastic or rubber phone case won’t cut it when it comes to long drops or bends.
