Do you often leave your laptop in your car during cold weather? Are you wondering if it is safe to leave your laptop in a cold car? Are you worried about your laptop’s health due to exposure to cold?
Although your laptop is likely to be more damaged due to heat rather than cold, leaving the device in cold temperatures can also be dangerous to its health. Leaving your laptop in a cold car can lead to condensation, damaging the device.
This article will reveal whether you can leave your laptop in a cold car. We will also discuss some tips to protect your laptop during cold weather and whether you can keep your laptop in a hot car.
Can You Leave Your Laptop In A Cold Car?
Laptops, by design, function within a safe temperature range, usually between 10-35°C, which is for both the external and internal environment of the laptop. A cold car is often below this temperature range, so leaving your laptop in one is unsafe and dangerous to the device’s health. In addition, the longer your laptop stays in a cold car, the easier and faster it gets damaged as temperatures below ten °C can result in battery drain, weakened screen, and damaged hard drives and processors.
Even though keeping your laptop in a cold car is not ideal, you can reduce the risk of damage by putting the device in an insulated box or bag and stowing it away in the car’s trunk. You can also wrap your laptop with clothes to keep it slightly warm, even in a cold car. The aim is to reduce the device’s exposure to cold which can damage its battery, corrupt the hard drive and weaken or shatter the laptop’s screen.
Ways To Protect Your Laptop During Cold Weather
Laptops are susceptible to damage from cold weather, so protecting them during winter and cold seasons is essential. In addition to ensuring the durability of your laptop, protecting the device from the cold would prevent battery drain, screen issues, and liquid condensation. Below are some tips to protect your laptop during cold and prolong its lifespan:
Avoid using your laptops in cold temperatures
As tempting as using your laptop in chilly conditions is, it is not often a good idea. One reason is that cold drains lithium batteries much faster than other factors, which can ultimately weaken your laptop’s battery. So to make your laptop last longer, avoid using it in places prone to severe cold conditions like unheated garages and attic spaces, especially during winter.
Carry your laptop in waterproof or insulated bags
Storing your laptop in a waterproof or insulated bag is a simple way of protecting it during cold weather. With these bags, you can successfully keep out moisture from rain during spring and snow in the winter and enjoy your laptop for a long while.
Pay attention to surfaces
Amazingly, laptops are still prone to overheating during winter, even with the excessive cold. Such is possible because most laptops have cooling vents at their bottoms which can become obstructed or blocked due to the surface on which they are placed.
Even though surfaces like fluffy linens and heavy blankets seem suitable for the cold, they can block your laptop’s vents and lead to overheating. To avoid such occurrences, use your laptops on flat and smooth surfaces during the winter and cold seasons.
Allow your cold laptop to warm up gradually
Sometimes, you may not have an option but to use your laptop in a cold room. In such a situation, allow your device to warm up before using it gradually. The warm-up time can take about five to fifteen minutes, depending on the room temperature. Allowing your laptop to warm up before use is also very important when it has been moved from a hot room to a cold one and vice versa. Failure to do so may cause the laptop’s screen or hardware to be damaged beyond repair.
Try out laptop warmers
Laptop warmers are devices specifically designed to keep laptops warm without causing damage to their inner components. When choosing these warmers, ensure they are adequately tested to meet your satisfaction. In addition, avoid using artificial or unconventional means like a heating pad, mug warmers, or pocket warmers to heat your system.
Using these devices with your laptop can be dangerous as they are not designed to keep it warm. They may even overheat and melt some delicate internal components.
Stay clear of excessive heat build-up
Working with your laptop in its bag or case while outside during the cold season may seem great, but it can be disastrous to your device’s health. Even if the bag protects your laptop from cold, it does not provide room for air to circulate while the device is in use, damaging your system’s health and can lead to overheating.
Can You Leave Your Laptop In A Hot Car?
Leaving your laptop in a hot car is also not advisable as it can cause permanent damage to the device and some of its internal components. However, if you must, ensure the laptop is switched off, as laptops generate heat.
To reduce the risk of damage, you can also remove the battery and store it in your car’s trunk. Furthermore, park your car under shade to slow down temperature increase and ensure that the laptop is kept away from direct sunlight. Finally, ensure that your computer is kept in this condition for an extended period.
Final Thoughts
Leaving your laptop in a cold car is a quick way to damage its internal components and shorten its lifespan. In this article, we have revealed how leaving your laptop in a cold car can affect it and ways to protect it during winter and cold seasons. With this knowledge, you can keep your computer safe during cold seasons and enjoy it for a long time.
