Spending all the time and money and energy buying and setting up a smart TV means that you should take steps to protect it. There are any number of elements and environment that can cause TVs problems, from difficulty cooling down to LEDs losing power and brightness over time.
Summer especially is filled with dangers to be mindful of both inside and outside the home. Here’s what you need to know to keep your home entertainment setup running smoothly.
Watch out for excessive heat and bright sun
Keep your TV away from direct light
One thing to be mindful of when using your smart TV in the summer is the effet heat has on it. Heat is generally an enemy to all kinds of electronics, including your TV, as it can wear down components and slow down processes. Excessive, persistent heat basically makes your TV work harder, and all those parts, including LEDs, simply won’t last as long. Everything is working harder under suboptimal conditions, shortening the lifespan of your TV.
This is something you may have witnessed with a laptop or computer at some point. Older models that are working too hard with too many things going on will start to get loud as a fan tries to cool off the system; when it gets too hot, it will shut down. The same could happen to your TV, especially if it’s already lived a long life.
It’s advised to avoid using your TV in environments that exceed 85 degrees Fahrenheit or 30 Celsius. Prolonged use at higher temperatures can result in long-term damage, including loss of brightness as LEDs wear down.
You’ll also want to be mindful of where your TV is in your home. Days are sunnier, and if your TV is sitting in direct sunlight, problems can start to develop with your screen, including dimming. Sunlight is also not ideal for viewing; too much light can lead to glares or lower perceived brightness and contrast.
Be mindful of humidity and condensation
Moisture disrupts electronic processes
Another factor to watch out for in the summer is humidity; moisture in the air can be a big problem for many electronics, especially a smart TV. Excessive humidity in a room can lead to moisture getting into ports and circuit boards, and that encounter with moisture on a consistent basis can eventually lead to corrosion. Aim to keep relative humidity under 60% in your home; it’ll also likely be comfortable for you, too.
The bigger worry with humidity, however, is condensation. This can occur if you’re moving your TV from a cooler environment to a hot one, say, from inside your air-conditioned home to outside in your backyard. Condensation takes place when hot air interacts with a cool surface, creating droplets. Those droplets would be harmful to a smart TV or any electronic device.
To avoid this, be mindful when you’re moving your TV around or outside the home and take note of any extreme temperature changes. If this does occur, let your TV stay powered off for a bit of time before turning it on in the hotter environment.
Thunderstorms can lead to power surges
Electrical surges can damage your devices
Summer weather brings with it thunderstorms that can be dangerous for your smart TV and all your home electronics. Lighting can cause power surges in your neighborhood and home, and those surges can potentially damage your devices. Surges can travel through any number of connected cables, including Ethernet or cable, or your power connection.
What’s unnerving about power surges is that they aren’t always noticeable and significant right away. Surges can be minor, causing small defects within your TV or device that cause it so slowly wear down over time. You could have a surge that doesn’t yield consequences for months.
It is absolutely worth investing in a quality surge protector, connecting not only your smart TV, but all your vital electronic devices. The simple purchase can protect thousands of dollars worth of entertainment products and prevent a lot of headaches.
Watch out for dust particles in your home
Be alert for changes in air quality
Another danger that summer brings with it is dust, debris, and other particles that can find their way into the home. With more doors and windows open, it’s likely your home is welcoming any number of items from the outside world. Pollen, seeds, dirt, and even insects are prone to making their way inside, and all of these intruders can spell trouble for electronics, including your smart TV.
Dust especially is a problem, as it can easily accumulate and block fans, resulting in devices overheating. They can also block ports, causing them to not work poorly. What you’ll want to be mindful of is that while you’re trying to cool your home with an AC unit or fan, you may also be moving dust around the home, too. Regularly sweep and dust areas in your home, more so in the summer, and be mindful of cluttered areas behind TV stands or in corners near power bars. These areas attract dust.
One more thing to be mindful of is air quality. While you may want fresh air in the summertime, you’ll want to be sure to keep your windows and door closed should there be any smoke in your area. Wildfire smoke is becoming an increasing issue for people in many parts of the world; it’s bad for humans and animals, and it’s also bad for your electronics. It can reduce the cooling mechanisms of your device and also become ingrained within TVs and consoles.
Keep your TV environment clean and safe
Resist the urge to bring your TV outside
The summer months, for some, mean enjoying entertainment outside, but you’ll want to be very careful about bringing your TV from the home into the great outdoors. Sunlight, heat, humidity, and even dust and insects can cause problems big and small for your unit.
I strongly recommend avoiding the urge to move your smart TV outside in the summer months, however old or small it is, and whether the weather seems fine. Perhaps you want to invest in a specific outdoor TV, but even these come with a high price tag and a lot of work. Watching TV with the sun out isn’t ideal; live sports may be fine, but you’ll be hard-pressed to enjoy a movie before it gets dark. Instead of a TV, consider investing in a smart projector that allows for more portability and easier use outside.
Even if you’re keeping your TV in the home, you’ll still want to be careful about when and where you operate it. Basements can become particularly hot, humid, and damp, conditions that can damage the TV over time. The same goes for the garage or any room that lacks a cooling system and proper airflow. Close the curtains and make sure you’re set up to protect your devices from any potential storms.
