Water Damaged Hard Drive?
Don't Dry It. Don't Power It On.
Flood, spill, pipe burst, or hurricane? Your data may still be recoverable. Water itself doesn't immediately destroy the magnetic patterns that store your files. The danger is corrosion and contamination that develop over time — and catastrophic damage if you try to power on a wet drive.
85% success rate on water-damaged drives when handled quickly. Free evaluation. No data = no charge.
Emergency Instructions (Read This First)
If Submerged in Dirty Water (Flood):
- Do NOT remove from water to "dry out"
- If possible, transfer to clean distilled water
- Keep submerged until you can ship
- Seal in plastic container with water
- Ship overnight to our lab
Why? Dirty water contains contaminants. Drying bonds them permanently to platters.
If Just Splashed or Brief Exposure:
- Do NOT power it on
- Do NOT try to dry it with heat
- Gently shake out excess water
- Seal in ziplock bag immediately
- Ship to our lab ASAP
Time is critical. Corrosion begins within hours.
Critical Warning: Never Power On a Wet Drive
Powering on a water-damaged drive causes immediate, catastrophic damage. Water conducts electricity — you'll short the PCB, potentially destroy heads, and may cause fires. Even if the drive "seems dry," moisture trapped inside will cause the same damage. There is no situation where powering on a wet drive is the right choice.
Why Water Damage Is Recoverable
Your data is stored as magnetic patterns on spinning metal platters. Water doesn't erase magnetic fields — it creates problems through secondary effects:
Corrosion
Metals inside the drive begin oxidizing when wet. This is why speed matters — the longer water sits, the worse corrosion gets. Professional recovery includes controlled drying and surface treatment.
Contamination
Flood water, coffee, or dirty water leaves residue on platters. If dried improperly, particles bond permanently. We use ultrasonic cleaning to remove contaminants without damaging data.
Electronics
The PCB (circuit board) is vulnerable to water. But even a fried PCB doesn't mean lost data — we can transplant the platter stack to a working donor drive.
Types of Water Damage We Recover
Flood Damage
Hurricane, basement flood, pipe burst. Often involves dirty water with sediment and contaminants. Keep drive submerged in clean distilled water until shipping.
Typical cost: $1,200-$2,000
Liquid Spills
Coffee, soda, water bottle spill on laptop or external drive. Sugar-based drinks leave sticky residue. Seal in bag immediately.
Typical cost: $800-$1,500
Humidity/Condensation
Temperature changes causing internal moisture. Often seen in drives from storage units or cold-to-warm moves. May not be obvious until failure.
Typical cost: $800-$1,200
Submersion (Clean Water)
Pool, bathtub, clean water tank. Better prognosis than dirty water if not powered on. Still requires professional cleaning and controlled drying.
Typical cost: $800-$1,200
Water Damage Recovery Process
Controlled Drying
We dry the drive in a controlled environment to prevent flash corrosion and preserve surfaces.
Cleaning
Ultrasonic cleaning removes contaminants. Platters are cleaned in our 0.02µm filtered clean bench.
Assessment
We evaluate head and motor damage. Often, heads need replacement due to corrosion or contamination.
Imaging & Recovery
Forensic imaging extracts data. We work around any damaged sectors to maximize recovery.
Water Damage FAQ
Can data be recovered from a water damaged hard drive?
Yes, often. Water itself doesn't immediately destroy data - the platters inside hold magnetic patterns that water alone doesn't erase. The dangers are corrosion over time, contamination from dirty water, and shorting electronics if powered on while wet. Quick professional intervention achieves 85%+ success rate.
Should I dry out my water damaged hard drive?
Counter-intuitively, NO. Drying allows contaminants to bond to platters and causes corrosion to accelerate as water evaporates. Keep the drive sealed in a plastic bag (or submerged in distilled water for flood cases) and ship to a professional immediately.
How long do I have before my data is lost?
Corrosion begins immediately, but significant damage usually takes days to weeks. However, the sooner you get the drive to professionals, the higher your chances. Don't wait 'to see if it dries out' - every day reduces success rate.
My drive was in a flood days ago - is it too late?
Not necessarily. We've recovered data from drives submerged for weeks. Success depends on water type (clean vs dirty), whether it was powered on after, and how it was stored. It's always worth a free evaluation.
Water damaged drive? Time is critical.
Don't wait. Seal it, ship it, let us recover your data. Free evaluation. No data = no charge.