How Smoke Damage Affects Electronics

9/13/2022 (Permalink)

Electronics are delicate items, as there are various factors that cause them to quit working properly.

How Smoke Causes Damage

• When electronics are covered in smoke, they become prone to extreme overheating, which leads to premature failure. When smoke reaches the inside components of electronics, a black film develops causing insulation on the heat-producing parts. The magnetic charge of smoke causes the circuits to short, leading to overheating.
• Soot is pushed by smoke, causing contact everywhere in its path. Smoke travels to cooler temperatures and continues until the energy runs out. The main cause of damage is the acidity in soot. Acidity destroys metals, which causes discoloration and disintegration.

Restoration for Electronics

• After a fire, damaged electronics are a safety hazard. To prevent exposure, do not turn on any of the items before consulting with a professional. The smoke’s corroding acids will immediately cause failure to the device.
• If you choose to clean the items without turning them on, wipe off the residue with a cloth. Taking immediate action will improve the likelihood of your devices surviving.

Helpful Tips

• When recovering a computer, the most important part is the hard drive. Every bit of information is located on this, so removing these files as quickly as possible is crucial.
• If you want to attempt saving the hard drive yourself, you will need a SATA to USB adaptor.
• Replacing the computer’s battery is the next step in the recovery process. If it’s not replaced, the combustion of batteries can be dangerous.
• To prevent your computer’s data being damaged from a fire or smoke, consider investing in a backup program that stores the information somewhere else. This is useful for just about any disaster.