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How to keep your IT safe from the heat

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  • July 20, 2022
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The heat in the UK this week has been unprecedented. With part of the week, we’ll into the 30s, this is frankly weather that is rarely seen on these shores, probably only familiar to most of us when we holiday in southern Spain or even more far-flung destinations.
Our lack of familiarity with this weather means that we aren’t as familiar with the precautions we should be taking to keep ourselves and our property safe. Yes, this means drinking plenty of water, we can take that as a given.
But how do you keep your tech safe when you have to use it in extreme heat?

Keep things cool and dry

At the risk of this being obvious, make sure your IT equipment is being kept cool and dry. Appreciate that you’re thinking, “it’s unlikely that I’m going to deliberately pour a glass of water all over my tech,” but if you’re keeping extra hydrated you might have more liquids than usual around.
Equally, be aware of the humidity of where you are working. There is a good reason why big data centres are kept dry and air-conditioned, because it is a top condition for IT to work it. This doesn’t mean you need to go out and buy an air conditioning machine, but have cool and dry in the back of your mind for where you decide to work.

Be careful with battery-powered devices

Many devices that we use for work day to day are battery-powered, think your phone, tablet or laptop. Whilst the internal components of these devices are delicate, most are robust enough to withstand some heat. However, that isn’t to say that many devices each year don’t get damaged or destroyed when accidentally left on a hot windowsill or an overheating car.
If you do need to keep your device in a warm place for whatever reason, it’s always best to make sure it is switched off beforehand. This will mean that the device is not generating any of its own heat unnecessarily – which can make the overheating problem considerably worse. Always avoid leaving tech in direct sunlight for prolonged periods. Too much heat can cause those batteries to expand, or even in rare cases, explode.

Thermal safety shut down

So what can happen (outside of a dangerous explosion) if your devices overheat?
You will have probably seen over the last few days, that your device runs slower, have its battery drained or both. This is because of the heat generated by the processor in your device. It is designed to work at particular temperatures (usually up to about 35C) and the higher the temperature, the more work it has to do to cool down. Similarly, if the battery has to work harder – it will drain more quickly.
Many phones in particular automatically shut down in extreme heat when they overheat, so keep an eye on your devices and be patient if it happens.
Want to understand more about how you can make the most of your IT this summer? First of all, take a look at our previous blog on what you should be focused on here.
If you are already thinking about how best to implement some improved IT this year and you’re ready to have some specific help and support, Webby Tech is here for you. Contact Webby Tech directly here.