Why Cooling Your Phone in the Fridge Could Spark Disaster!

A phone repair shop in Wem, Shropshire, is warning people not to put their phones or other electronic devices in the fridge or freezer to cool them down during hot weather. Jamie Farnell, who owns Shropshire Phone Repairs with his wife Jodie, says he has been getting a lot of devices sent in for repair lately, and almost all of them have problems caused by the heat. Many of these devices have internal moisture damage, which Jamie believes is from people putting their phones in the fridge or freezer after seeing tips on social media. He says that these videos look convincing, but they are not safe and can actually ruin your device.

Jamie remembers that during the June heatwave, a customer brought in an iPad with a swollen battery, and it exploded in his shop. He says that people used to put their phones in rice if they got wet, but that does not really help either. Now, more people are trying to cool their phones by putting them in the fridge, but this causes condensation inside the device. When the phone warms up again, the moisture turns into water, which can damage the screen and the logic board. Jamie says he sees this problem in customers of all ages. He also says that during the heatwave, many people came in with phones that were glitching, freezing, or not turning on at all. Most of the time, they had tried to cool their phones in the fridge.

Jamie gives some advice for keeping your devices safe in hot weather. He says you should keep your phone out of direct sunlight, turn it off if it gets too hot, and avoid using apps that make the phone work hard, like games or streaming videos. You should also not overcharge your device and keep the screen brightness low. If you need to give your phone a break, you can turn on Airplane Mode or turn off Bluetooth and GPS. Jamie explains that lithium ion batteries, which are used in most phones, tablets, and laptops, can swell up or even catch fire if they get too hot. This is called thermal runaway, and it can be very dangerous. If your phone is not working or the battery looks swollen, you should take it to a repair shop instead of trying to fix it yourself. By following these tips, you can keep your devices safe and working well during hot weather.