Electronics Freezing Up In Arctic Weather

Jacqueline Sit, News 9

OKLAHOMA CITY – The cold weather could freeze up the electronic devices you depend on, but there are ways you can prevent losing communication when you really need it.

"Your keys, they may not work, the charger may stop working, the entire phone could stop working overtime,' said Cell Phone Repair technician Scott Norris.

Norris has seen his share of frozen phones and he's expecting to do more "CPR" when another round of frigid weather dials in.

"When we get to the lower temperatures to the single digits, you start to see that more often," said the CPR technician.

Freezing temperatures can eat up battery life and cause the LCD screen to be brittle and break easily.

"Especially when you get closer to single digits or negative degree also, you tend to see quite a bit of corrosion into the phones which come from moisture from going from extreme temperatures," said Norris.

A sign your phone has been damaged by the cold is the keypad. Keys that stick or don't work sometimes are signs of permanent damage. This also applies to everyday electronics like laptops or a GPS.

If condensation gathers inside a gadget, turn it off immediately and then remove the battery.

"One of the best things you can do is if it's outside for a very long time, to keep your phone or other small electronics in your pocket. You don't want to keep it in an outer pocket or leave it in your car," said Norris.

If you can, keep your electronics out of the cold completely so you can keep your lifeline open in case of an emergency.

Most phone insurance policies require you to report damage within 60 to 90 days from when the damage happened.