Whether it fell out of your pocket while standing on a dock or got left out in the rain, it’s obvious that cell phones and water don’t mix. And while some new phones are marketed as being “water-resistant”, it is still a smart idea to keep your phone away from water whenever possible. There are a number of different issues that can arise if your phone has been subjected to water damage, from blurry photos and muffled audio to being unable to charge to not functioning altogether. While you might think that the only solution to these issues is to get an entirely new phone, there is a chance that your phone can be repaired.
In this post, we’ve broken down everything you need to know about fixing a cell phone with water damage.
How Can You Tell If Your Phone Has Water Damage?
If your cell phone has taken a swim or you suspect it has come into contact with water at some point, there are a few different things you can do to determine whether it has sustained any water damage. Many phone manufacturers keep water damage in mind when they design their phones and often place a liquid contact/damage indicator strip located inside the SIM card tray. This provides an easy way to check for water damage but often means that if the strip indicates that it’s been in contact with water, you will be ineligible for a manufacturer warranty.
While some encounters with water may leave your phone completely fried, sometimes all that is required is a single part repair, such as a battery, screen or speaker. Because each device reacts differently to water damage, we offer free estimates, so you can find out exactly what the cost of repairing your phone would be before any repairs begin. It’s important to bring your phone in for repair as soon as possible to avoid the water causing any major damage.
Drying Out a Water-Logged Phone
When it comes to drying out a water-logged phone, patience is key. The first thing you’ll want to do is remove it from the liquid immediately. Next, you’re going to want to turn it off and leave it off. This is going to help prevent any liquid inside the phone from interacting with any running electronic components. It’s important that you don’t continue to use your phone after it’s sustained any water damage. After turning your phone off, you’re going to want to pull off the case and if possible, remove the battery, SIM card and microSD card.
You might have heard that burying your phone in rice can help absorb some of the water, but this method isn’t very effective. Instead, silica gel from packets you often receive with new items such as shoes is much more effective. Leave your phone in the silica gel for 24-48 hours or until it’s fully dry before you try to turn it on.
Your Phone Needs Repairs, Now What?
In some cases, giving your phone some time to fully dry out can be enough to solve the problem and get it working. If this isn’t the case and you start experiencing issues with certain features, such as your speakers, charging ports or camera, your phone might need some repair. That’s where Repair Express comes in! There’s no way for us to determine exactly what kind of repairs, which is why we offer free estimates. If our initial diagnostic review of your phone reveals that modular parts might need to be replaced, we will let you know before any additional expenses are incurred. Our experienced team of technicians put all our repairs through rigorous testing to ensure that when you receive your phone back, it is good as new!
While it can be a pain to have to hand over your phone for repairs, at Repair Express, we have the experience and expertise to get repair jobs done right and get your phone back to you as soon as possible.
