Every day, people face the unfortunate consequences of water damage to cell phones. They flop into the toilets, go swimming in the backyard or public pools, and enjoy days at the beach. Many stay in pants pockets and cycle through the washing machine. No matter the cause, you will likely find that if your cell phone gets wet it will stop working. Whether or not it can be repaired rather than replaced depends on the phone and often the extent and type of water involved.
Why is this happening? This is because the vast majority of mobile phones are not waterproof. They are an electronic device and inside there are small circuits and chips that make them work. All water is disastrous for a phone.
The water in your home contains trace amounts of chemicals, such as chlorine and other minerals. These have a corrosive effect. Even if you have a filtration device on your tap, the water can damage your phone. When liquid enters the phone, it causes a short circuit in the internal components. Getting your phone wet on the beach is harmful not only because the water is liquid but also because it contains salt. Even the water in your backyard pool is corrosive because it contains chlorine and other chemicals.
When you bought the cell phone, the manufacturer gives a warranty. If the phone stops working because it is faulty, you can bring it in for replacement. However, you will find that water damage to the cell phone voids the warranty. If you open the back of the case and look at the battery compartment, you will see a sticker. That sticker is usually white. When wet, the sticker changes to a red color. This alerts the dealer and the manufacturer that the water damage to the cell phone caused the malfunction.
Some consumers buy insurance with their phone. If you bought insurance, many policies cover a replacement phone. In some cases, however, the exact same model is not issued. A substitute or used model is delivered to the consumer. You should verify your insurance to see the obligations of the company for any claim. Assuming your cell phone is water damaged and there is no insurance to replace it, your other options are to dispose of the phone and buy a new one or try to repair it.
The faster you get it out of the water, the better. This decreases penetration into the interior. If it’s off, don’t turn it on. This activates electronic operation and can cause a short circuit. Contrary to popular opinion, don’t put it in the microwave. This can cause the corrosive effect of the elements in the water to add damage beyond the liquid itself. You must remove the battery immediately. This ensures that there is no power to the phone and minimizes that potential source of damage.
If the phone contains a separate GSM operator, remove the card. The card itself contains important information similar to a USB drive on a computer. If you have to get a replacement phone, at least your contact and other information may be saved. If you need to replace the phone, find one that has the same card that you used previously.
Dry the phone by shaking it and draining the water. Then dry as much of the inside of the battery compartment as possible and on your face and body. Do not use a hair dryer to dry it. This will simply push the moisture deeper into the narrow cracks inside. Instead, try using a vacuum cleaner. This will remove the water instead of pushing it in. Let it rest on an absorbent material to allow the natural evaporation process to occur.
Once it looks dry, put the battery back in and test to see if it works. If this does not repair the water damage of the cell phone, you can replace it or send it to a professional repair shop. To make that decision, you need to consider the cost of a new phone versus the cost of repair. If you are at a point in your contract where you can renew, you can get a new phone with the usual discounts available for new or extended contracts.
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