Dropped your cell phone in water? This might help!
So, you’re a big money player who can’t stay off his cell
phone in your bathtub, you just turned
around and knocked your prize cell phone right off the counter into the dishwater,
or your brand new smartphone just got dropped in the toilet. Whatever your
circumstances, DON’T PANIC. Your phone has moments to live, and a clear head
and not a moment’s hesitation is in order.
IMMEDIATELY remove your cell phone from whatever liquid in
which it is submerged and turn it off. DO NOT shake your phone as you may
spread more water throughout the circuits, and may unnecessarily damage the
phone. Remove the battery and SIM card
immediately so that you’re not likely to short out any circuits and further
damage that cell phone.
Wrap your phone in any cloth that happens to be nearby (do
not break any indecency laws while doing so – remember time is of the essence
if your cell phone is dropped in water). And immediately find some desiccant to
start absorbing moisture out of the phone.
What is a desiccant? Good question. If you’ve ever opened a
pair of shoes and seen the little packet that says “Silica Gel – Do Not Eat”,
you know what desiccant is. Rice is an excellent desiccant and can pull water
out of small electronics, just like your cell phone.
Put your waterlogged cell phone with your desiccant of
choice, and leave it alone. Do not check it every few hours; leave it in there
for at least 24 hours. Seriously, leave the poor little cell phone alone.
While you are waiting for your cell phone to dry out, you’ll
need to consider your next action if your damaged cell phone doesn’t work: 1) See if you’re eligible for a new phone at a
discount. Visit your cell phone provider’s `website or your local cell phone
store, and they can tell you if you’re ready for your new discounted cell phone
with a two year agreement.
2) If your water damaged cell phone comes from a
provider that uses GSM and has a SIM card, you may limp along the remainder of
your contract with a pay-as-you-go phone. Simply use that SIM card that you had
with your old cell phone in your new cell phone.
3) Check ebay.com or craigslist.org – Make sure
that the phone is not blacklisted prior to paying.
4) Check to see if you have insurance to cover the
phone. Most companies have an insurance product that covers your phone with a
deductible that covers water submersion.
5) Check your car insurance, renters insurance, or
homeowners insurance. Sometimes they have a rider that covers small electronics
like a cell phone.
6) Pray that your cell phone comes on. If you have
no other alternative, buying a phone outright will cost you between $200 - $700.
Has it been 24 hours yet? If so, put everything together and
see if your poor drowned cell phone recovered. If your cell phone is still
water damaged, you know what you do. If it has recovered, excellent! You’re
lucky and very prepared for next time.
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