If You’re Cold, They’re Cold…
The temperatures this weekend along the Grand Strand and throughout the HTC service area are going to be frigid!
While you’re bringing in your plants and keeping pets indoors, be sure you also bring in your electronic devices.
While it’s true that excessive heat is bad for electronics, cold weather and electronics are also NOT a good combination.
Electronic devices, once exposed to freezing temperatures, can experience the following:
- Shortened Battery Life: Once the battery is cold, the capability of charging devices slows significantly.
- Loss of Screen Resolution: Touchscreen capability may be diminished and the images may appear smudged or shadowy. It can also cause cracks in the screen, and if the device is dropped, it could shatter.
- Loss of Hard Drive Data: Cold temperatures can cause components to become brittle and, if not warmed properly, could short circuit.
- Condensation: Like the fog you see when getting into a cold car, your device can experience the same issue. Exposure to cold can cause a permanent fog and corrosion of components.
Here are a few notes about keeping your electronic devices in working order:
- Insulated bags are not designed to keep devices warm, so don’t leave them in your vehicle.
- Allow your devices to warm up to room temperature before turning them on. The same is true when you go outdoors; allow them to acclimate to outdoor temperatures.
- Do not use devices such as mug warmers or pocket warmers to heat or keep a laptop warm. The components in electronic devices warm and cool at different rates and applying a quick heat or cool down can cause permanent damage.
- If outside, keep your device protected. Keep your phone in your pocket and have a sturdy case for your tablet.
- Make sure your device (specifically your laptop) has air to circulate.
- Whenever possible, stay out of direct exposure to cold weather conditions by staying in a vehicle or inside a building when using your laptop. Protect your laptop from dampness, rain or snow will help prevent electrical damage and the potential of electrical shock.
- Purchasing a new laptop? Look for one with Solid State Drives, which do better in cold weather due to less moving parts.
- Know what the best temperature for your device. You can find this information on a product spec sheet.
We hope this helps to ensure you keep all of your devices safe and secure. If you have additional tips or tricks, make sure to leave them as a comment below.
