We recently had a water leak in our home and the room stayed humid for a day before everything was dried. My MacBook wasn't exposed to water directly, but it remained in that room the whole time. Is there any risk of internal moisture damage from high humidity alone?
I agree with K Shaffer—get it evaluated now. Our family has experience with a similar steamy situation.
A clothes drier vent hose from downstairs running through a bedroom closet in our son's uni apartment failed. His iMac was in that room. The split flex pipe filled the entire closed room with 100% humid, 35°C air, and it was at least an hour before he discovered it.
My son acted in what should have been a reasonable manner on discovering his office was now a sauna. He turned off the iMac and hustled it to an unaffected room. In retrospect, he should have immediately turned it back on to let the fans and normal warmth of the logic board flush the system. Unfortunately, dealing with two toddlers and university maintenance, he did not. The iMac never started again.
When conditions create water droplets, that's bad. Macs have moisture sensors on and about the logic board that "trip" when moisture content rises above a certain point. If you are dealing with homeowners' insurance for other damage cause by the water leak, be sure to include this computer as a possible total loss.
If Apple sees tripped moisture sensors inside a computer, reports here say they void the warranty then and there.
Also, moisture damge is progressive. As slow ongoing corrosion compromises critical parts, the computer can fail weeks or months after the incident. Even with the best professional repair, some moisture still hides in inaccessible areas. Best possible outcome is that your insurance carrier declares your computer a total loss.
I hope you have it backed up!
I agree with K Shaffer—get it evaluated now. Our family has experience with a similar steamy situation.
A clothes drier vent hose from downstairs running through a bedroom closet in our son's uni apartment failed. His iMac was in that room. The split flex pipe filled the entire closed room with 100% humid, 35°C air, and it was at least an hour before he discovered it.
My son acted in what should have been a reasonable manner on discovering his office was now a sauna. He turned off the iMac and hustled it to an unaffected room. In retrospect, he should have immediately turned it back on to let the fans and normal warmth of the logic board flush the system. Unfortunately, dealing with two toddlers and university maintenance, he did not. The iMac never started again.
When conditions create water droplets, that's bad. Macs have moisture sensors on and about the logic board that "trip" when moisture content rises above a certain point. If you are dealing with homeowners' insurance for other damage cause by the water leak, be sure to include this computer as a possible total loss.
If Apple sees tripped moisture sensors inside a computer, reports here say they void the warranty then and there.
Also, moisture damge is progressive. As slow ongoing corrosion compromises critical parts, the computer can fail weeks or months after the incident. Even with the best professional repair, some moisture still hides in inaccessible areas. Best possible outcome is that your insurance carrier declares your computer a total loss.
I hope you have it backed up!
JackSmithOfficial (author)
Perhaps to be safe about unseen and possible moisture
damages over longer period than an immediate reaction..
Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple
//www.apple.com/retail/geniusbar/
..You should schedule an appointment with with 'Apple Store
Genius staff' for an Inspection. In an Official Store, that's free.
This is best option, even if 'Apple Store' is miles further away
than an Authorized Apple Sales/Repair independent shop.
Add'l misc details:
Apple Service and Repair for Mac Laptops - Apple Support
//support.apple.com/mac-laptops/repair?services=service
Find Locations (sales + service // Apple & Authorized)
Thank you for such a detailed reply. I'm really sorry to hear what happened to your son's iMac.
Before posting here, I had already reached out to Hub Mold Experts because of the water leak in my home. They explained that hidden moisture and high humidity can continue causing problems long after everything appears to be dry, but I wasn't sure whether that could also affect a MacBook that had never been in direct contact with water.
Your explanation about condensation, the moisture sensors, and the possibility of corrosion developing over time really helps put things into perspective. It sounds like this is something I shouldn't ignore, even if the MacBook seems to be working normally right now.
I'll make sure everything is backed up, and I'll keep a close eye on it. If I notice anything unusual, I'll have it inspected.
Thanks again for sharing your experience—it was genuinely helpful.
Thank you for such a detailed reply. I'm really sorry to hear what happened to your son's iMac.
Before posting here, I had already reached out to "Hub Mold Experts" because of the water leak in my home. They explained that hidden moisture and high humidity can continue causing problems long after everything appears to be dry, but I wasn't sure whether that could also affect a MacBook that had never been in direct contact with water.
Your explanation about condensation, the moisture sensors, and the possibility of corrosion developing over time really helps put things into perspective. It sounds like this is something I shouldn't ignore, even if the MacBook seems to be working normally right now.
I'll make sure everything is backed up, and I'll keep a close eye on it. If I notice anything unusual, I'll have it inspected. Thanks again for sharing your experience—it was genuinely helpful.
Can high humidity from water damage affect my MacBook?
