Living in South Asia, where summer temperatures can soar to 113F, keeping my devices safe from heat has always been a challenge. Over the years, I’ve developed some strategies that help keep my tech cool. If you also struggle with preventing your devices from overheating in hot weather, here are some tips to follow.
1 Keep Your Devices in a Well-Ventilated Room
The higher the room temperature, the more your devices are prone to overheating. High ambient temperatures make it difficult for your gadgets to dissipate heat effectively. As your device continues to generate more heat, this can lead to heat buildup, causing overheating. Therefore, always keep and use your tech in a well-ventilated or air-conditioned room.
While cooler surroundings make heat dissipation easier, using your gadgets in confined spaces without adequate airflow also makes it harder for them to release heat. Therefore, always ensure there’s enough ventilation around your gadgets, so air can flow freely around your laptop, helping with faster heat dissipation.
2 Avoid Using Your Devices With Charger Plugged In
Charging generates additional heat, causing devices to heat up when plugged in, especially in a room with higher ambient temperatures. If you use your device while it’s charging, it produces extra operational heat that combines with the heat from charging. This makes it difficult for the device to dissipate the accumulated heat in a hot environment.
To prevent this, I established a rule for myself: I never use my device while it’s charging. I charge my devices, unplug them, and let them sit for a while to allow the residual heat to dissipate. Only after the device has cooled down do I start using it. Also, I charge my devices in a room at a better ambient temperature, which helps them stay cool during charging. This doesn’t apply to devices, like laptops, that have bypass charging. since they stop pushing charge into the battery once it’s full.
3 Remove the Phone Case
Phone covers protect your phone from scratches, grime, and other risks while also enhancing its aesthetic appeal. However, they can act as insulators, trapping heat inside, which can cause your device to overheat. Taking off the case removes insulation and exposes the device’s surface, enabling better airflow that lets your phone cool down more efficiently.
I don’t remove the cover permanently because the cover protects my phone from scratches, and removing it completely increases this risk. Instead, I only remove it when I’m using the phone extensively, such as while playing games, and put it back on once I’m done. If you can handle your phone more carefully, you might consider removing the cover permanently.
4 Investing in a Portable Fan
Investing in a portable fan is another cost-effective step I took to keep my tech cool. Improved airflow around your device makes it easier for it to disperse heat. Portable fans improve this airflow, allowing your device to dissipate heat more efficiently. If you already have a portable fan at home, start using it to cool down your gadgets and maintain stable temperatures.
I always position the fan to direct air towards the vents and other hottest parts of the device to stabilize the temperature. Whenever I plan to use my device for extensive tasks like gaming, video editing, or prolonged usage, I make sure to have my portable fan nearby. Its compact and lightweight design also makes it easy to take outdoors.
5 Keep Your Devices Away From Direct Heat Sources
Heat sources increase the ambient temperature, making it harder for your devices to dissipate heat, which can lead to overheating. While it’s easy to avoid some heat sources at home, like ovens, stoves, and radiators, you have to be extra careful with natural heat sources like the sun, which can cause your device’s temperature to spike quickly.
Keep your tech devices as far away from direct heat sources as possible, avoid placing them near windows, and when you’re outdoors, try to keep your gadgets in a shaded area.
6 Monitor the Temperature of Your Gadgets
When a device overheats, it can cause thermal stress to the processor, battery, and other critical components, which can harm your phone or laptop. Also, most devices automatically shut down when their internal temperature exceeds safe limits, leading to loss of unsaved work.
Whenever I notice my gadgets starting to overheat, I immediately save my work and turn them off for a while. Shutting them down halts all operations, stopping further heat generation and allowing the accumulated heat to dissipate. This cools down the device and prevents physical damage from prolonged heat exposure.
To protect your unsaved work and prevent extreme heat from damaging your system, it’s crucial to recognize the early signs of overheating. Besides physically feeling the device getting hot, other overheating indicators include a drop in performance, apps lagging or crashing unexpectedly, display issues, or a heat warning from the device itself.
Therefore, you should monitor the temperature using the operating system’s built-in tools or third-party apps and watch for these signs. This helps you take preventive measures before extreme heat damages your device. This can help you identify processes that cause overheating, allowing you to avoid them in the future.
7 Using Insulated Bags When Going Outdoors
Insulated bags are designed to maintain a stable internal temperature. They act as a barrier against extreme outdoor temperatures and shield your tech from external heat. This keeps your devices at a stable temperature. They also protect your gadgets from direct sunlight, which is especially useful when you’re outdoors for extended periods.
Additionally, the extra padding in insulated bags safeguards your devices from physical shocks, making them convenient for travel. So, invest in an insulated bag to prevent your tech from overheating the next time you go to the beach, embark on a long journey, hike, or spend time outdoors. Just make sure to close your bag fully.
When not managed properly, high temperatures can harm your tech gadgets. If you struggle to keep them cool, start following the tips above, and you’ll surely notice a significant difference. If you find these tips helpful, share them with your friends and family to help keep their gadgets safe during extreme hot weather.
