Tips on Safeguarding Data and Data Storage Devices in Monsoons

Weekend Getaways in Monsoon is what internet users ask Google as monsoon approaches. Just like everybody else, most of you would have a monsoon holiday plan underway, isn’t? The heaven has opened up for the much-awaited shower of blessings. As the Indian Meteorological Department declares the arrival of monsoons, we all have planned something to enjoy the lovely weather.

We all love monsoons, right? There are innumerable reasons for our love towards it.

Be it evening walks, dancing in the rain, making paper boats, having snacks with a cup of tea, read our favourite book, sight-seeing, etc. and, of course, the relief it brings from the heat.

Monsoon is in full swing, and all we need is a cup of tea and a get-together. While it brings much relief, it also brings in additional moisture and humidity. You may prevent your wooden furniture by oiling or waxing them or applying a protective coating; but what about your data storage devices? Unfortunately, there aren’t any protective coatings for them. However, there are some data protection tips to prevent data loss in the monsoon which can safeguard your data.

The extreme moisture and humidity can be detrimental to your data storage devices. Be it standard HDD or SSD drives, SD cards, USB sticks, etc. they are susceptible to such environmental factors. It is imperative to safeguard data storage devices in monsoons; otherwise, you may experience data loss.

Some valuable tips to prevent data loss in the monsoon

1- Control moisture and humidity:

Excessive moisture and humidity can prove catastrophic to your data storage devices. You cannot control the external factors;

Do not keep the storage devices in places like kitchen or bathroom or any gadgets like a washing machine, dryers as they affect the amount of moisture and humidity in the air.

2- Avoid keeping the devices in a low-lying area:

Avoid keeping the data storage device in a low-lying area such as basements, corners of living rooms, etc.  During monsoons, the probability of water inflow is high and keeping the device in low-lying areas can prove fatal. Also, low-lying areas lack proper ventilation and with time accumulates water vapours; therefore, to safeguard data storage devices in monsoon, avoid those areas.

3- Place your devices in a zip-lock bag:

Every time you move out of your house, make it a habit of placing the data storage devices in zip-lock bags, as it will safeguard your devices from the rain. To ensure that the zip-lock bag is effective, leave some air in the bag and squeeze it for leaks.

4- Use waterproof bags:

Waterproof bags are one of the most effective ways to safeguard data storage devices in monsoon. In addition to it, there are some phone and hard disk manufacturers which provide waterproof cases for smartphones and HDD, leverage the service provided by them to keep your devices from being damaged.

5- Frequent power surge due to humidity:

Frequent power cuts can damage your device. During the power surge, the voltage exceeds the peak level which can further damage the storage devices. To safeguard your device, you can buy surge protectors or unplug your devices when not in use.

6- Have multiple backup files:

To safeguard your data storage devices, ensure that you store your backups at an off-site location and can even use cloud services. In case, if the device is damaged, you can restore your important files from the backup.

What if your data storage device gets damaged?

First, don’t panic as things like these are quite common. Maintain your composure and apply any of the following preventive measures:

• Unplug your data storage device and turn it off.
• Do not open the hard drive as it will be exposed to the external environment.
• Do not use a hair dryer to dry the device as this can further damage the device.
• Place the device in a zip-lock bag and store it in a safe place
• If the problem persists, reach out to a professional data recovery service provider to recover all your critical data.

The Bottom Line

Monsoon brings relief after the scorching and relentless heat; however, we should be cautious as it brings some unwanted problems as well. Enjoy this season at its fullest by protecting your data storage devices and don’t let monsoon wreak havoc to your data. And in case if you lost data due to Monsoon/Rain recover with Stellar Data Recovery.

Follow the aforementioned tips to prevent the data loss in the monsoon and enjoy your monsoons!