When you think summer you think sun, sand and hopefully some relaxation and fun. Of course, warmer weather comes to mind as well when thinking of summer. Most of the time, the increased temperature and amount of sun is a huge benefit of summer, but where your computer is concerned, summer weather can actually be a detriment. Be sure to protect your computer from the rising temperatures and other weather related mishaps.

The first thing to keep in mind is how to protect your computer from the heat. Taking a day out of the office to enjoy warmer weather may sound like a great idea, however, the increase in temperature can do damage to your computer. Laptop batteries are generally fine in a heat range of temperatures from 50 to 95% Fahrenheit, however, any warmer and you risk significantly shortening your laptop's battery life. Additionally, avoid working with your computer in direct sunlight. Rumors have always floated around that direct sunlight could damage your computer's screen, however, there is virtually no evidence to support this claim. What will damage your computer's battery and hard drive is the heat associated with being in direct sunlight. So, find a shaded area or work under an umbrella to reduce the amount of heat that reaches your computer.

Another way summer weather can harm your computer is through increased moisture. Humidity is an unfortunate part of summer weather and the resulting moisture is bad news for your computer. In addition to paying attention to humidity, you also need to be mindful of condensation. If you frequently carry your computer from highly air conditioned areas to hot and humid outdoor areas, condensation may build. The moisture is potentially fatal to your computer, so always let your computer adjust fully to temperatures prior to use and store it in a laptop bag when you travel for extra protection.

While it is important to take precaution in the heat and humidity of summer weather, it is a bit more difficult to safeguard against the more unpredictable summer weather that can destroy your computer. Power outages are a threat to your computer year round, but summer thunderstorms resulting in blackouts or power shortages that lead to brownouts can be particularly dangerous to your computer. You do not need to turn your computer off at the first clap of thunder, but it is always a good idea to unplug it from the power source if a storm does seem threatening. The best way to protect your computer against damaging summer weather it is to use a backup system regularly. A cloud storage system is particularly helpful in the event that you encounter hardware problems. This way, even if your device experiences problems, your data is safe and secure.