When you have a flood in your home, there’s so much to think about: getting out the water, drying out all of the furniture, filing insurance claims…the list goes on and on. But have you thought about what happens to your water-damaged electronics? In 2013, we are at a loss without our electronics, whether it’s a TV and sound system or a Smartphone. Thoroughly assessing the damage and safely restoring them (if salvageable) is critical—sooner rather than later.

Multilevel Damage

When dealing with water-damaged electronics, you need to deal with external and internal water causing mold, remaining moisture, or functional issues. If the water damage has gone so far as to penetrate the internal components, many of which are computer chip based, even an electronic that appears “fine” could actually have internal damage and pose an electrical safety risk.

Plug-in Electronics

The damage to a tablet is different than the damage water causes a plug-in device such as a laptop or gaming system. In this case, carefully checking the plug, cord, and wiring for damage is critical to not only determining if the item will still work but also if it is electrically safe to plug in to an outlet. The last thing the situation needs is a damaged item that causes an electrical fire. Be sure to avoid personal harm by shutting off the electricity before examining water-submerged electronics that are still plugged in.

Extended Water Exposure

Not only is the extent of the electrical water damage critical, but now the question is if there will be any mold damage from prolonged exposure to the water source. Properly cleaning the item is critical to your safety before you begin using it again.

Is It Salvageable?

With the scope of exterior cleaning and electrical components involved, electronics are one thing you don’t want to take a chance on by assuming that they’re safe to begin using again. Working with a professional to extract any residual water is imperative to do quickly. The experts at Rocky Mountain Restoration can remove the water and start the drying process, and if we can’t get your electronics going, we’ll make a referral to someone who can provide additional hints and suggestions or tell you conclusively if it’s time to head to the store for a replacement.