View All R&D Articles

Water Damaged Hard Drive Data Recovery

June 24, 2014

One of the most serious problems a hard drive can face is water damage. Water can immediately damage electronics and penetrate the platter housing, potentially causing permanent damage.

Datarecovery.com offers services for water-damaged drives through our full-service laboratories, and we provide high success rates for all hard drive models and brands.  However, prompt and careful treatment of the drive is always crucial, as the extent of damage will affect the chances of a full data recovery.

What Should I Do if My Hard Drive is Submerged in Water?

If your hard drive has been damaged by flooding or if you suspect water damage may be a factor in any way, follow these steps:

  • Contact Datarecovery.com to speak with an expert. Our knowledgeable customer support team will be able to guide you through the steps of our process and answer any questions you might have, including questions about pricing and turnaround time. You will also be able to speak with a data recovery engineer to discuss your individual situation.
  • Contact your insurance provider. Some insurance companies will honor data recovery claims for businesses and individuals, dependent on the circumstances.
  • Do not attempt to clean your hard drive. All water damaged drives will be cleaned upon their arrival, using specialized methods and chemicals. Attempting to clean a water damaged drive in a home environment is almost always destructive to the drive. Do not add water to a drive or try to dry it out.
  • Take care when removing the drive from your computer. Ground yourself before touching the drive, removing it carefully and without excessive force. Have an anti-static bag ready to place the drive in once the drive is removed.  Package the drive with a slightly moist (but not soaked) sponge; this prevents it from drying out completely, reducing the onset of corrosion and allowing our engineers to minimize the physical damage.
  • Ship the drive as quickly as possible. Time is an important factor when a hard drive sustains water damage, because corrosion can occur within days.  Use overnight shipping and get a tracking number from your shipping provider.

Datarecovery.com is the world leader in data recovery services, and we can safely clean and dry your drive in a Class 5 clean room.  We will then restore the drive to a functional condition, performing advanced microcode repair and other procedures to get a complete copy of your data.

We offer 24/7 services for water damaged hard drives, and every service features a no data, no charge guarantee.  All of our laboratories are outfitted for water damaged hard drive data recovery.

Call today to discuss your case with our knowledgeable customer service department.