It’s mid-June 2022 and our weather apps have already started sending heat advisory warnings weeks before the official start of summer in the northern hemisphere. Heat waves are a normal part of the warmer parts of the year, but climate change is increasing temperatures and making these events last longer.
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In addition to staying hydrated and trying to stay out of the heat, we also need to protect our tech. Electronics don’t handle heat well and it will get harder to keep them cool as the summer progresses. Here are eight tips to help you protect your tech against the heat this summer.
Stay Out Of The Sun
This tip might seem like common sense, but as the weather warms up, we all tend to spend a lot more time outdoors. Taking your devices with you might make sense unless you’re planning on spending a lot of time in the sun.
Direct sunlight is a great way to overheat your electronics. If you insist on working outside, keep your laptop or other electronics out of direct sunlight. Staying in the shade can drop the ambient temperature by 10-15 degrees.
Shut Off Your Devices
If you have to take your laptop with you or leave it in a hot car while you run into the store, shut it off. Even if your screen is dark or your device is in sleep mode, there’s still a trickle of power running through the circuits.
Shutting things off means they have a chance to cool off completely and aren’t generating heat while in storage. If you can’t shut things off, opt for the lowest power consumption mode — such as hibernation mode on Windows devices — and reduce the amount of time it’s exposed to heat.
Store Them Properly
Whether your summer travels are for business, pleasure or a combination of both, it’s tempting to bring our devices everywhere. If you’re traveling by car, that may mean locking your laptop in the trunk. Don’t do that. High heat is detrimental to just about everything.
You wouldn’t store your snowboard in a sauna, right? Exposing it to extreme heat and high humidity could cause the layers to delaminate, leaving you with a mess instead of a board. While you don’t usually have to worry about delamination with electronics, the heat and humidity of a trunk can do all sorts of damage. Avoid leaving your devices in your car whenever possible.
Turn On Battery Saver
Phones, laptops and other mobile devices are constantly trying to connect with the world around them. These features are great if you need to hook up a set of wireless headphones or connect to the internet, but each feature consumes battery power and increases the heat output of the device.
If you’re worried about overheating, shut off all the extra features — wi-fi, GPS, Bluetooth, etc. — to help keep your device cool. Some Android devices come with a DU Battery Saver option that can scan your phone and shut off any devices that generate excess heat when it detects high temperatures.
Monitor Temperatures
All you need is a weather app to monitor the outdoor temperature, but what about the temperature inside your devices? Consider installing an app or program that will allow you to monitor your device and take steps if it begins to overheat. CPU temperature monitoring software works for laptops and desktop computers.
Check Google Play or the App Store for more options for mobile devices. Take the time to research your device’s maximum temperature. Use that information to decide when to shut things down and let them cool off.
Invest in Support Equipment
A decade ago, you couldn’t set a laptop directly on your desk without causing it to overheat because you were blocking the fans. Today, we’re working with better heat transfer technology, so laptop fans aren’t necessary, but they can be a valuable tool if you’re worried about overheating during the summer months.
Sometimes, all it takes is a laptop stand that gets your device off the desk, allowing air to circulate beneath it. Support equipment can help keep things cool while you work.
Be Patient
There’s nothing more frustrating than having your cell phone overheat and shut off while you’re using it. Instead of trying to turn it immediately back on — which could cause damage to the phone’s internal components and shorten the life span of your device — be patient.
Let the device cool off completely before you restart it. Trying to rush this process will just come back to bite you later.
Light Colors Are Better
We get it. Black looks sleek and goes with everything. Unfortunately, it’s not the best color choice if you’re trying to protect your devices from the heat. Opt for lighter colors whenever possible, both in your devices and the bags you carry.
A white or beige laptop bag will reflect more heat than a black or dark blue one. If you spend a lot of time on the move with your devices this summer, opt for light colors to reflect sunlight and keep your laptop cooler.
Stay Cool This Summer
Thanks to climate change, summers are going to continue to get hotter. Protecting your devices from these high temperatures will become more challenging and important as the years go by. Use common sense when it comes to handling your devices in the heat. If it’s too hot for you to work comfortably, the chances are high that it will also be too warm for your devices. Stay cool this summer, and don’t forget to stay hydrated!
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