When you get your LED screen wet, what do you do? After panicking and blaming yourself a lot for the mistake and once your brain becomes rational again, the next thing you’ll think about is how to deal with the LED display water damage. It’s fine to panic just a little bit but it won’t do you or your screen any good. What can? We can help you with it. 

To address LED screen water damage, the best first step is to learn everything possible about the current situation you’re in. While there have been many innovations and developments in waterproofing electronic devices, it is not as invincible as you think it is. And yes, water is one of the elements that can render advanced devices like LED screens useless. 

Understanding Display Water Damage

Let’s start with what everyone and you should know. LED screens are definitely the product of innovation and advanced technology, which is how it’s able to showcase high-quality and vibrant images. The basic operation of LED screens starts with the diodes that are arranged strategically on a board. The diodes are light-emitting and so can produce their own lighting, mimicking all sorts of colors and images. 

Despite the wonderful innovation that is LED displays, there are still possible issues that can crop up like display water damage. However advanced technology may be, it’s still vulnerable to environmental elements like moisture and sunlight, and these devices will be affected after some time. 

To make sure you do all the necessary methods to avoid further display water damage, you need to know how to pinpoint if your screen has a problem or not.  

Seeing Waterfall Display? Possible Signs of LED Display Water Damage

Whether you’ve actually seen your LED screen get wet or not, you will know if there’s significant display water damage that you have to deal with. At the start, you won’t be able to notice the change since it’s not as obvious as seeing a waterfall displayed on your screen. However, you need to be conscious of the signs that say there’s possible water damage in your LED display. 

If you notice something weird and different about your LED screen, don’t ignore that hunch. If there are issues that you need to address, especially if they involve display water damage, you need to get to them immediately. Risks and damage from water are not always the same so you might be confused and that’s okay. 

To help you figure out if what you’re dealing with is display water damage, these are some of the signs to look out for:

1. Distorted Images

If the images on your LED screen start to look distorted and blurry, it is one sign that the surface of your display may have water in it. When water droplets or moisture invade your LED screen, it can change how the light moves which can even lead to diffraction. This is how water can affect the quality of your images.

2. Short Circuit

Short circuit refers to what happens when an electric current swerves to an area where it shouldn’t be. This is a dangerous situation for your LED screen, especially since it can fry the entire system and create irreparable display water damage in the end. 

Electricity and water don’t jive well and when they do, things get dangerous. It’s why water should never be inside your LED display, where the internal circuits and electricity are. If there’s a spark or something that sounds like electricity going haywire, it might be that there’s water in the circuits. 

3. Rusting

LED screens have metal parts inside so it’s not impossible for these components to start rusting after some time. The metal components will start weakening, taking the connections inside along with it. In the end, the LED display will perform poorly and in some worst cases can fully stop working. 

4. Moisture in LED Layers

If your LED display gets wet, there’s a chance that moisture can get trapped between the layers. Some of the signs that there might be water in between your LED layers include the following:

• Fogging on the screen
• Decrease in image quality
• Inconsistency in image colors

This particular display water damage will affect the lighting of the screen. If not remedied, it will slowly lose its quality and stop operating in totality. 

5. Decrease in Clarity and Brightness

Another sign that there’s a possible display water damage is if the screen’s clarity and brightness decrease. With water and moisture spreading over the screen, the light also ends up spreading along with it. This causes the brightness to decrease and it becomes more difficult to see the images on the screen, especially when the display is installed outdoors and exposed to intense lighting. 

6. Decrease in User Control

Once you feel like the control you have over your LED screen is starting to get weaker, it may be an indication of display water damage. When water gets through your LED display, the circuits will be affected. The connections that are connected to the buttons and switches may also be affected and you won’t be able to access their functions anymore. 

 7. Device Stops Working

In worse cases, display water damage can cause the entire device to just stop working. However, this only happens when moisture is left for a significant period of time on the LED module and has already caused relevant damage to the display and its system. 

Display Not Working After Water Damage: What To Do? 

Dealing with your screen that has LED water in it will take more than just burying your screen in uncooked rice. The real best thing to do is to call an expert to deal with it. However, if you want to do something that can minimize the possible display water damage that has started, here are simple steps to follow:

Turn Your LED Screen Off 

Press the off button and make sure that the entire device is not running. Do this as soon as you see a sign of wetness on your display. This will make sure that even if the LED screen is wet, the circuits inside won’t get fried.

Disconnect the Display From All Connections

Once it’s turned off, unplug it from the power source and take out other connections the LED screen may have. When you do this, be careful that you won’t get injured and electrocuted.

Wipe & Dry the LED Surface Free from Water

Get a dry cloth and gently wipe the surface of your LED display to get rid of any moisture. As you wipe the surface, be careful that you don’t aggravate the situation and actually lead water inside the module. 

Dry the Interior

Once you’re done drying the external surface of your LED screen, it’s time to tackle the internal issues. If you have a warranty, don’t open anything and just wait for the experts to do their jobs. 

What you can do instead is to get a hairdryer and try to dry the inside of the module through the openings located at the side of the LED module. You won’t be able to fully dry it but you will be able to do something positive about it. While using the hairdryer, make sure not to put it in high heat or you might worsen the display water damage. 

Call the Pros

Call the professionals and wait for them to arrive.

If You Can Open The LED Module 

If you don’t have a warranty anymore and you’re pretty confident that you know your way through your LED device, here are the steps to follow:

1. Open the module – start from the enclosure and slowly peel the surface off
2. Allow air to enter the LED module and circulate
3. Examine the parts and check for display water damage signs (moisture, color changes, rusting)
4. Pay special attention to sensitive parts like the connectors and circuit boards
5. Dry the interior of the LED module by using silica gel packets
6. Place the panel in an open area with excellent ventilation
7. Allow all the parts to dry (Even if it takes hours and days)
8. Once everything’s dry, put them back together the exact way before you opened it
9. Plug in the LED module and test it out for possible screen signs of display water damage 

In this step, you will know immediately if it’s a success. Good job if you are able to do this without any hitch!

Useful Hacks & Tips To Fight LED Screen Water

The old adage always rings true– “precaution is better than a solution.” It’s better if you can avoid a situation where your LED screen gets wet. You will be saved from all unnecessary efforts (and yes, even expenses!) if you just make sure to keep your display dry at all times. 

If you need some practical tips to follow, these are some you can consider:

Tightly Close Gaps

Focus on the parts that have openings that can lead water into the internal parts of the LED module. Seal these parts to take out any risk by using either gaskets or sealants. These parts include the following:

• Connection slots
• Ports

Regularly Set Up Maintenace

Schedule a regular check-up and maintenance for your LED display to make sure that there are no issues with your screen, including possible display water damage. If you tend to forget things, put it in your calendar so that you won’t miss it. You can also talk to your display provider and allow them to remind you of the much-needed maintenance.

Waterproof Your Device 

Waterproofing your screen is one way to avoid any display water damage and render your investment insignificant. Your LED screen is waterproofed twice before it gets to you (and if it’s part of the device’s package or specifications). It’s done during the manufacturing process and then again during the installation. 

There are two ways you can get a waterproof LED screen. You can either get a ready-made waterproof screen to skip all the efforts. Make sure that you get a screen with excellent IP ratings to guarantee that what you have is well-protected, not just from moisture but also from dust. 

The second way is to get a waterproof enclosure or cabinet. This enclosure protects your LED panels from all types of external elements. Depending on the cabinet you choose, it can even allow you to use your indoor LED display outside without worry. 

Always Cover the Screen When Not in Use

When you’re not using your LED screen, make it a habit to cover it. Protective covers and shields add a layer of protection to your device without changing the device or spending so much on it. It is the simplest way you can protect your LED screen. 

Keep It Away From Place with Water

Keep your LED display in an area that’s dry and away from doors and windows, where rain and wind can penetrate and harm your device. Keep it out of your home and into your basement or garage, somewhere that won’t have water in when you’re not using it.

Have Professionals Install Your LED Screen

Allow the professionals to install your LED screen for you. While it may be an interesting DIY task, do not compromise the protection of your display just to see if you can do something. Experts are called experts primarily because they know what they’re doing. Nothing beats years of education and experience in the field so rest assured, they will be able to provide you with the service you need.

Conclusion

Display water damage needs to be properly assessed and taken care of. Once there’s an inkling of a sign that your LED display was exposed to water, take the necessary steps. Try to be proactive in protecting your screen so that you can use it for a long time free from any technical issue.

Make it a habit to take care of your LED screen by storing it in a safe place. Proper storage, where the ventilation is good, is necessary to avoid the formation of moisture.