Water damage repair: 4 steps to take when you dropped your phone in water.

You may have fallen into the water yourself. Not to worry. A water damage repair can get your phone back to its old self!

An accident is in a small corner. Most water damage occurs because a smartphone is put in the back pocket and then falls out over the toilet bowl. Known among insiders at ThePhoneLab as the “playmobile.

Some modern phones are naturally waterproof and when you drop them in water, there is nothing wrong. But when your phone is not waterproof, it is wise to do a water damage repair.

In this blog, we discuss:

• Drop your non-waterproof phone or tablet in the water?
• What happens to my phone during a water damage repair?
• What are the chances that my smartphone has not suffered damage?
• Does it make sense to put my device in rice?
• How does water cause damage to my phone?

Drop your non-waterproof phone or tablet in the water?

Then try to act on the following roadmap as soon as possible.

1. Turnoff your smartphone as soon as possible . If your screen stops responding, you can also try turning off your smartphone using the hard reset key combination, which many smartphones have.
2. Once your smartphone is turned off, you need to remove any cover and remove the SIM card holder from the device. Then dry your device with a cloth. Because the SIM card holder is out of the device, the water can evaporate slightly.
3. It is important at this time to keep your device NOT put it in the charger or turn it on, this can have catastrophic consequences.
4. Go as soon as possible to a branch of a professional repair shop (such as, e.g., ThePhoneLab – check here for a branch near you), where they can start a water damage repair right away.

What happens to my phone during a water damage repair?

Once your smartphone is under treatment at ThePhoneLab, it is immediately taken apart. Your motherboard, the heart of your smartphone, is put into a machine filled with a liquid with a very high alcohol content. The machine creates ultrasonic vibrations so that the liquid can get into the smallest corners of your motherboard. The liquid makes the water disappear from your motherboard so it can no longer cause a short circuit. While the machine does its job, ThePhoneLab’s specialists carefully clean the other parts in your smartphone. This way, all the water is gone from your smartphone and no further damage can be caused by the water. After the treatment, your smartphone is reassembled and is water-free.

After cleaning, devices are also tested for hidden corrosion, something that is becoming increasingly common due to the more complex construction of modern smartphones. This ensures that not only is the visible moisture gone, but any internal damage is also detected.

What are the chances that my smartphone has not suffered damage?

After the cleaning is done, we will carefully test your smartphone. If the above steps are done properly, then chances are that after the water damage repair, your phone will work as before. Unfortunately, there is also a chance that some parts have been broken by the water, such as a battery or screen. We test each part individually and determine with you what you want to repair or not. It is not possible to say in advance with 100% certainty that we can completely undo the water damage, but there is a good chance we can get your phone working like normal again with a water damage cleaning!

The sooner you get there, the better the recovery process works. Time is literally a determining factor in water damage. The longer you wait, the greater the chance of permanent damage from corrosion.

Does it make sense to put my device in rice?

In fact, putting your smartphone in rice will have very little effect. While rice does absorb moisture, the moisture is so deep inside your smartphone, through very small cracks, that the water will not dry up through the rice. Besides, dried water can still cause short circuits. Put your smartphone in a dry place after it comes in contact with water and come in for a water damage repair as soon as possible.

Moreover, rice can leave small dust particles or starch in your device, which in itself can cause additional damage. So just don’t do it.

How does water cause damage to my phone?

Water – as you probably understand – is a liquid substance that can get into all sorts of places quite easily. A smartphone has several vulnerable openings such as your charging port, speaker and SIM card holder. When your smartphone comes into contact with water and it is not IP-rated (click for explanation), water can enter your smartphone in less than a second. Water from the tap is full of chemicals such as chlorine and lime, which allows water to conduct electricity. So once the water comes in contact with components in your smartphone, it will cause a short circuit. Short circuiting is disastrous for a smartphone. Even water that has dried up after several days can still cause a short circuit. Doe daarom altijd zo snel mogelijk een waterschade reparatie.