{"id":430368,"date":"2022-04-11T14:00:18","date_gmt":"2022-04-11T11:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/your-old-gadgets-are-a-fire-hazard-heres-what-to-do\/"},"modified":"2022-04-11T14:00:18","modified_gmt":"2022-04-11T11:00:18","slug":"your-old-gadgets-are-a-fire-hazard-heres-what-to-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/your-old-gadgets-are-a-fire-hazard-heres-what-to-do\/","title":{"rendered":"#Your Old Gadgets Are a Fire Hazard, Here\u2019s What to Do"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3be599540dc\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3be599540dc\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/your-old-gadgets-are-a-fire-hazard-heres-what-to-do\/#%E2%80%9CYour_Old_Gadgets_Are_a_Fire_Hazard_Heres_What_to_Do%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;Your Old Gadgets Are a Fire Hazard, Here\u2019s What to Do&#8221;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/your-old-gadgets-are-a-fire-hazard-heres-what-to-do\/#Why_Old_Gadgets_Are_a_Fire_Hazard\" >Why Old Gadgets Are a Fire Hazard<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/your-old-gadgets-are-a-fire-hazard-heres-what-to-do\/#How_to_Decrease_Your_Risk\" >How to Decrease Your Risk<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/your-old-gadgets-are-a-fire-hazard-heres-what-to-do\/#Get_Rid_of_Old_Gadgets\" >Get Rid of Old Gadgets<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/your-old-gadgets-are-a-fire-hazard-heres-what-to-do\/#Charge_Your_Gadgets_Properly\" >Charge Your Gadgets Properly<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/your-old-gadgets-are-a-fire-hazard-heres-what-to-do\/#Store_Them_Properly\" >Store Them Properly<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/your-old-gadgets-are-a-fire-hazard-heres-what-to-do\/#Check_On_Your_Gadgets\" >Check On Your Gadgets<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CYour_Old_Gadgets_Are_a_Fire_Hazard_Heres_What_to_Do%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;Your Old Gadgets Are a Fire Hazard, Here\u2019s What to Do&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"type:primaryImage wp-image-795826 size-full\" data-pagespeed-lazy-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/GadgetHazardHeader1.jpg?width=398&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1 400w, https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/GadgetHazardHeader1.jpg?width=1198&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, 400w, 1200w\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/GadgetHazardHeader1.jpg?width=1198&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"A phone with a swollen battery, sitting on a repair bench.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" data-crediturl=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/swollen-battery-mobile-phone-possibly-burst-1490455454\" data-credittext=\"NeagoneFo\/Shutterstock.com\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"type:primaryImage imagecredit\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/swollen-battery-mobile-phone-possibly-burst-1490455454\">NeagoneFo\/Shutterstock.com<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Who among us doesn\u2019t have a gadget junk drawer or box on a closet shelf with some old phones? Those old gadgets aren\u2019t just clutter, though: They\u2019re a potential fire hazard. Here\u2019s what you need to know.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"admonishment_warning\"><p><strong>Warning:<\/strong> Before we dig in, if you came across this article because you already have a device with a swollen or bulging battery, please im<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">media<\/a>tely discontinue use of the device, don\u2019t attempt to charge it, and read our guide to dealing with laptops, phones, and other devices with swollen batteries.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Old_Gadgets_Are_a_Fire_Hazard\"><\/span>Why Old Gadgets Are a Fire Hazard<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>An old Android phone or three here, a forgotten about tablet or two there. It\u2019s all too easy to accumulate a pile of old gadgets and gear that you never quite get around to dealing with.<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, however, unlike old-fashioned junk drawer gadget castoffs like a flashlight or calculator, modern gear poses a unique risk: it\u2019s a fire hazard.<\/p>\n<p>Why? Most modern portable electronics use lithium-ion batteries. Lithium-ion batteries are pretty great in most regards.<\/p>\n<p>They\u2019re small, lightweight, and store a good amount of energy for their size. Without them, we wouldn\u2019t have super slim smartphones that could go all day (and then some) on a single charge.<\/p>\n<p>But storing a lot of energy in a small space is always a potential risk and lithium-ion batteries aren\u2019t exempt from this. As they age and degrade, the chance of a battery failure increases.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-795819 size-full\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/BatteryFire1.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"A phone battery on fire.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" data-credittext=\"Jason Fitzpatrick\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">I don\u2019t always throw phone batteries on the ground, but when I do they\u2019re on fire. <span class=\"imagecredit\">Jason Fitzpatrick<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Unlike a battery failure with, say, some AA batteries jammed in the back of an old toy, the risk with a lithium-ion battery failing isn\u2019t just some leaking and corrosion in the battery compartment, it\u2019s a potential fire as the battery swells up and the gases (combined with the stored energy) turn the battery into a potential fireball.<\/p>\n<p>Not only do pictures of dangerously swollen batteries crop up on <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/techsupportgore\/\">\/r\/TechSupportGore<\/a> fairly frequently, but there\u2019s even a whole subreddit devoted to the topic with the tongue-in-cheek name <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/spicypillows\/\">\/r\/SpicyPillows<\/a>\u2014a nod to the pillow-like shape of a swollen lithium-ion battery and the fire that can result from damage to the \u201cpillow.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Now, we hardly want anyone to panic at the thought of their forgotten about iPhone 5 or old MP3 player burning their house down while they\u2019re reading this article on their lunch break.<\/p>\n<p>Exploding phones are pretty rare, and we should know that keeping a pile of old gadgets around isn\u2019t a death warrant. But good gadget management and storage practices can help reduce your risk to nearly zero\u2014and declutter your home in the process.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Decrease_Your_Risk\"><\/span>How to Decrease Your Risk<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>When it comes to avoiding an old phone or tablet failing and taking your house along for the ride, it\u2019s a matter of risk management and minimizing the chance the battery will fail.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Get_Rid_of_Old_Gadgets\"><\/span>Get Rid of Old Gadgets<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>This might sound like heresy to the folks that keep every gadget, cable, and maybe even the box they came in, forever and ever, but it\u2019s certainly a best practice you should consider.<\/p>\n<p>Rather than hold onto old gadgets indefinitely, get rid of them when they are superseded by a new gadget.<\/p>\n<p>Bought a new phone? Perhaps keep the old one for a few weeks as a backup in case your new one is a lemon, but after that safely dispose of it. Sell it, recycle it, give it to a friend or relative to use, but don\u2019t just park it in a drawer for so long that when you finally find it someone can declare \u201cIt belongs in a museum!\u201d The best time to sell an iPhone, after all, is right when you replace it to take advantage of the iPhone\u2019s high resale value.<\/p>\n<p>The same goes for all your other gadgets. Get in the habit of selling, recycling, or donating your old ebook reader, tablet, and even Bluetooth speaker once you replace it with something new. If it has a lithium-ion battery in it and you don\u2019t routinely use it anymore, it\u2019s time for it to find a new home.<\/p>\n<p>And hey, even if the device was never destined to fail and blow up in your office drawer, it\u2019s just good practice to keep gadgets in use and move them along to people who will actually use them.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Charge_Your_Gadgets_Properly\"><\/span>Charge Your Gadgets Properly<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If you\u2019re not ready to get rid of the gadget then it\u2019s best to charge it properly for storage. Proper charging keeps the battery cells and circuits in optimum health.<\/p>\n<p>While recommendations vary by manufacturer and <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>lication, the <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/general\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"3\" title=\"General\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">general<\/a> consensus is that lithium-ion batteries should be charged to approximately 40%. (Some manufacturers recommend charging 50% or 60% instead.)<\/p>\n<p>Really, the important part here isn\u2019t the exact percentage. What\u2019s important is ensuring that the battery is charged to roughly half capacity and not stored with a completely discharged or completely full battery.<\/p>\n<p>Discharge rates on lithium-ion batteries in completely powered-off devices are very slow, but you should still plan to top off the charge every 12-18 months or so to keep it around 50%.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Store_Them_Properly\"><\/span>Store Them Properly<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Gadgets that have made your VIP list for long-term storage deserve proper long-term storage. Just like a myriad of other household things from paints to canned goods, your gadgets will be happiest in a cool dry place.<\/p>\n<p>If you wanted to go above and beyond, a metal storage container with a snug lid on a basement shelf with <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Indicating-Dehumidifier-Desiccant-Reusable-Canisters\/dp\/B08NCZRHV2\/?tag=hotoge-20\">a desiccant pack<\/a> inside to control the moisture would offer optimum conditions. However, at that point, if you\u2019re not storing them for a very specific reason, you might want to reconsider if it\u2019s even worth the effort.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Check_On_Your_Gadgets\"><\/span>Check On Your Gadgets<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>One of the biggest themes in the \/r\/SpicyPillows subreddit is that of people coming across a forgotten gadget and finding it shockingly swollen compared to when they put it away last.<\/p>\n<p>So if you\u2019re going to squirrel away old gadgets for whatever purpose, be sure to check on them now and then. (Remember your devices should get a little top-off charge at least once a year or so.)<\/p>\n<p>Battery degradation and swelling rarely happens quickly.\u00a0Usually, the battery swells slowly until it eventually distorts the case or even cracks the screen it\u2019s stuck behind. Checking on your stored devices ensures you catch the swelling in the early stage.<\/p>\n<p>At the first sign your gadget has a failing battery, be sure to properly handle and dispose of the battery by following these guidelines.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\n setTimeout(function(){\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s) } (window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n   fbq('init', '335401813750447');\n   fbq('track', 'PageView');\n  },3000);\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/795732\/psa-your-old-gadgets-are-a-fire-hazard-heres-what-to-do\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Your Old Gadgets Are a Fire Hazard, Here\u2019s What to Do&#8221; NeagoneFo\/Shutterstock.com Who among us doesn\u2019t have a gadget junk drawer or box on a closet shelf with some old phones? Those old gadgets aren\u2019t just clutter, though: They\u2019re a potential fire hazard. Here\u2019s what you need to know. Warning: Before we dig in, if&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":430369,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/GadgetHazardHeader1.jpg?height=200p&trim=2,2,2,2","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-430368","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/430368","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=430368"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/430368\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/430369"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=430368"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=430368"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=430368"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}