Water damaged computer

[butor20022]

My computer was completely spaked due a major leak in my house.
The insurance company wants the system to be tested.

Assuming it is working once dried or that they replace one faulty component like the mobo, would you trust the system in the long term ? I'm wondering about other parts failing in the mid or long term.

Anybody with a similar experience ?

 

[sswilson]

Are we talking submerged in water, or might have been in contact with water from sprinklers?

If it were me, I'd run a 24hr sytem stress test, as well as a long (I'd probably go 24 hrs as well) gfx stress test.

If it's possible that some components were actually submerged, or exposed to more than just "dampness", I'd be concerned about things with bearings (any and all fans).

 

[3.0charlie]

I'd be really concerned with HDDs.

Was it started when the flooding happened?

 

[butor20022]

Are we talking submerged in water, or might have been in contact with water from sprinklers?



In between. Imagine your system under a light rain for a couple of hours.

 

[butor20022]

I'd be really concerned with HDDs.

Was it started when the flooding happened?

It was probably in stand by mode when it happened.
I took out the HDD, let it dry for 24 hours (using a big air blower)

I put it as a slave in an another computer and was able to read and recover the data.
I'm just wondering if it's only temporary

 

[Soultribunal]

I would tell your insurance company to handle it like a Water Damaged Car. They are written off because it is too dangerous with electrical faults causing fires etc... I would say to them that you do not feel safe with an electrical component that has been damaged by water.

That being said, if you can't get away with that then like they said above give it a full stress test, and put a couple of those silica packages in there to help pick up any residual moisture.

Regards,
ST

 

[Chris]

You mean you cannot make it fail after you recovered the data? You are just too honest. Insurance companies have no hearts. So, screw it as much as possible. :biggrin:
I been screwed by them 2 times. The third time happens, I'll know what to do.:angry2:

 

[crazyhorsejohnny]

You mean you cannot make it fail after you recovered the data? You are just too honest. Insurance companies have no hearts. So, screw it as much as possible. :biggrin:
I been screwed by them 2 times. The third time happens, I'll know what to do.:angry2:

I agree. Bud you can test it and you might get a "all ok". But 2 weeks from now who knows.

 

[Killswitch]

I have no experience here but I wouldn't trust it.
Did the insurance company designate someone to do the system testing or do you have to do it yourself? If someone else is doing it, I'd fire up the system with the side panel off and hose it down until it quit working before they get a hold of it. Make them replace the whole thing. You'll likely get a better machine then what you had to begin with.

 

[mo' power]

I would tell your insurance company to handle it like a Water Damaged Car. They are written off because it is too dangerous with electrical faults causing fires etc... I would say to them that you do not feel safe with an electrical component that has been damaged by water.

That being said, if you can't get away with that then like they said above give it a full stress test, and put a couple of those silica packages in there to help pick up any residual moisture.

Regards,
ST

I agree. Insurance companies want to charge the highest premiums possible and pay out the least amount possible. Tell your insurance company that you don't feel safe using a water damaged computer and come back to them in the future with a fire AND water damage claim because your pc caught fire. If they won't comply, simply and politely suggest that you will be shopping around for a different insurance company. This will usually get their attention if you have been insured with them for quite some time.