Electronics and water don’t mix well, and laptops are no exception. Water damage can wreak havoc on your beloved device, whether it’s from an accidental spill, a fall in the bathtub, or exposure to rain.
Usually, water damage to a laptop is easy to spot, but that’s not always the case. It’s important to know the signs of water damage in order to know what to do next in the hopes that you can save your laptop.
9 Signs of Laptop Water Damage
There are several telltale signs you can look for when you suspect your laptop has water damage. Of course, only a technician can fully ascertain the extent of the damage, but knowing what to look for doesn’t hurt.
1. Water leaking or dripping from laptop
If you can see water dripping from your laptop’s ports, it’s a no brainer—there’s definitely water damage.
However, the extent of damage depends on the amount of water. If it’s just tiny bits of moisture, it could be condensation due to humid conditions. If large amounts of water are flowing out of the ports, your device has probably come in close contact with a water source.
No problem, first protect your laptop from a liquid source—perhaps a pool or your child and bathtub. Move the laptop away from the bulk of the water and remove as much water as possible without turning it on.
2. Keyboard stops working or crashes
Water damage can be sneaky, sometimes manifesting as keyboard malfunctions. This is especially common in areas with high humidity.
Weeks and weeks of moisture settles into the laptop, and suddenly, your keyboard doesn’t respond to commands. Unless your laptop was dropped or hit with a lot of force, you should consider it water damage.
3. Touchpad stops working
Water on the touchpad usually causes stickiness and reduces responsiveness. Water damage to the motherboard can also cause the touchpad to stop working or act erratically. Although there can be other reasons for a faulty touchpad, you may have narrowed down the problem if your device has been near water.
4. Muffled or Distorted Laptop Speakers
If your speakers make a crackling or muffled sound, your device may have been water damaged. Water can cause rust and corrosion in the speaker’s internal components, which can lead to poor sound quality.
Rusting occurs when water remains in the speaker for a long period of time. In addition, the membrane of the laptop speaker is made of paper, which is easily damaged by liquid. This can also contribute to poor sound quality.
5. Unexplained network connectivity issues
If your device is experiencing network issues or getting network connection error messages, it’s possible that water may have gotten into the network card and completely damaged the hardware.
Water can also damage the Wi-Fi module, a small chip on the motherboard responsible for your PC’s wireless network connection. Depending on the make of your PC, the module is usually located near the edge of the motherboard and closer to the hinge of the laptop.
This position makes it susceptible to water damage, given that this part of the laptop usually bears the brunt of coffee spills.
6. Random restart or shutdown
When water gets into your laptop, it can create new circuit paths (short circuits) on the circuit board, causing your laptop to restart or shut down suddenly. This happens because the battery gets connected when it comes in contact with water.
Short circuits can damage the power rails, causing you to experience uncontrolled restarts and shutdowns.
7. Blurry or Distorted Screen
Your laptop’s blurry or distorted screen can be a symptom of a number of problems, one of which is liquid damage. Water can damage a laptop’s display and graphics card, which can damage the display unit.
8. Blue Curtain of Death
The Blue Screen of Death, popularly referred to as BSOD, is a sign of a serious problem with your laptop’s operating system. BSOD may mean that your laptop is in need of repair or replacement at long last.
Water damage to the hard drive or processor can lead to corrosion and short-circuits. It can also destabilize the operating system, resulting in a BSOD.
9. Your laptop won’t turn on even with the charger
Plugging your laptop into a power source is a big mistake if you suspect water damage. Laptop probably won’t boot.
After a spill or fall, your laptop’s board is likely to have a short circuit, and charging it immediately after water damage will only make it worse.
