A day at the lake or pool is a great way to beat the heat this summer. But what if your cellphone is an unintended recipient of water?
Has this happened to you? Well, you are not alone. Recent studies show that more than 30 percent of people have accidentally got their cell phone wet or dropped it in water at some point.
Whether you go swimming with a cellphone in your pocket or are the victim of a device that falls in the sink, a pet’s water bowl or even worse – the toilet, U.S. Cellular has some simple steps to help revive a phone, so your plans don’t go down the drain:
Step 1 – If your phone does not turn off when it gets wet, power it down immediately. Once the power is off, remove the battery.
Step 2 – Remove any skins, covers or faceplates. Grab a towel and remove as much excess water from the phone as you can. If you have a flip or slide phone, you should open it up, so air can reach the keypad.
Step 3 – The best thing to do is to leave the phone powered off for a few days to give the internal circuitry a chance to dry out. During this time, turn it over several times, so that any water trapped inside can make it to the surface.
Step 4 – It is very tempting to try and speed up the drying process with items such as hairdryers, microwaves, space heaters and ovens. However, the intensity of the heat may cause further damage to the phone’s internal circuitry. Placing it by a fan is a much better alternative to help the phone dry out.
Step 5 – Once you replace the battery, push the ON power button. If the phone turns on, you can breathe a sigh of relief, though it may only be temporary. Moisture damage signs may take time, and symptoms might appear several weeks or months later. Check your keypad, as keys that stick or don’t work all the time are signs of permanent damage.
“Keep in mind that your wireless service provider’s technicians might be able to help if your cell phone gets wet,” said Tommy Arens, director of sales for U.S. Cellular in Oklahoma. “There are preventive measures that U.S. Cellular customers can take to help them avoid a wet cell phone nightmare. We recommend that all our customers download the free application My Contacts Backup, so that valuable address book information is automatically protected and stored wirelessly. We’re committed to delivering products and services that simplify and enhance our customers’ daily lives.”
