Computers and other electronics are crucial to the operations of your company. Should a flood or other water-sourced disaster strike, your computers, servers and other electronic systems that hold invaluable company records, including customer information, could be damaged or permanently lost.
In the aftermath of a flood, it's important to know what you can do to lessen or prevent water damage to your tech systems and electronics, or when to call in the professionals. Timing is critical: if you act quickly, you may be able to save information and get your business back on track faster.
Discover what you can do to help mitigate damage to your electronics equipment after a flood or other cause of water devastation, with these helpful tips from ServiceMaster Restore®.
Tips to Prevent Damage to Your Electronics After Water Damage
There are three basic water damage scenarios that can affect your technology and electronics as a result of a water disaster: excess humidity, direct contact with water or total submersion.
With any attempts to salvage your electronics from water damage, the most important consideration is safety. Electronic devices must be disconnected from power and all batteries removed until everything is clean and 100% dry. Connecting power too soon could cause short circuiting, which would be destructive to the device and potentially unsafe for whomever is handling the equipment or device.
Damage Type: Excess Humidity
An excessive increase in air humidity can occur in a room with standing water or water damage. Computers, printers, phones, fax machines and other electronic devices can be damaged from high humidity even if they are not in direct contact with water. In excessive humidity conditions after water disasters, dust can turn into sludge and adhere to wiring and circuit boards. And this is more likely to occur if the water damage or high humidity is the result of fire extinguishing efforts during an event that also caused smoke damage.
What to do: In all instances of high humidity water damage, professional electronic restoration services are recommended to try and bring your equipment back to working condition. Professional cleaning provides a better chance that your electronic and technology investments can be fully restored to pre-loss condition.
Damage Type: Direct Contact with Water
Many electronics can withstand direct contact with water as long as they are not completely submerged, as in the case of accidental spills, water overflow, and contained leaks and flooding.
What to do: If your electronics experience direct contact with water, first disconnect them from the power source and then remove them from the water as soon as possible to prevent further damage. Water damage to computers and electronics often looks worse from the outside than it actually is on the inside. Professional restoration and cleaning, including adequate drying time, can remove contaminants left by water and restore the equipment to proper functioning—often at least long enough to recover crucial data. However, there is always a risk of circuit board corrosion. If the damage is severe, you may need to replace essential components, or the entire device.
Damage Type: Submersion
In some water emergencies, electronic equipment becomes completely submerged in standing water—and possibly muddy silt and sediment as well—for a period of hours or days. This type of scenario can happen in disasters when it is not possible to re-enter the premises for long periods of time— for example, during weekends or holiday breaks when a pipe may burst.
What to do: Unfortunately, electronics that have been submerged in water are not usually good candidates for electronic restoration services. This is because most submersion incidents cause computers and other electronics to short circuit, and the damage to internal circuit boards is often beyond repair. While you could potentially replace damaged parts and have the equipment professionally cleaned, it may be prohibitively expensive. In the case of submersion, we recommend notifying your insurance company and replacing your electronics.
Remember, if your business has sustained flood or water damage, it is never safe to turn on your electronics to test them after the event. You run the risk of electrical shock, as well as further damage to your equipment. This is why you should call in the professionals. The technicians at ServiceMaster Restore water damage restoration services work promptly and efficiently, with the innovative tools and expertise necessary to fix your equipment. Contact the professionals at ServiceMaster Restore, and learn how we can help get your business back on track as soon as possible.