Unplugged: Expert Insights on Overnight Charging and Fire Risks

IS IT SAFE TO LEAVE YOUR LAPTOP PLUGGED IN OVER 12 HOURS?

I'm asking this question because I have three adult children, plus myself, who all have laptop computers, and although I DON'T leave my laptop plugged in overnight, my kids will leave their laptops plugged in until they use them again.

I've heard this can be dangerous; leaving a laptop plugged in over 24 hours can cause a scenario where the computer could melt down or even start a fire. So I wanted to find out the truth about this question and maybe you can rest easier at night as well.

HOW LONG SHOULD YOU CHARGE YOUR LAPTOP?

According to PCWorld.com, it is recommended that you charge your device, whether it be a laptop, iPad, or smartphone when the device battery has reached 20%.

Get our free mobile app

In the early days, we were told to let the battery drain completely! No so anymore.  Draining the battery completely for modern-day batteries is harmful to them.

Now, you might be wondering; How old is 'TOO old' for a computer? From what I can tell, if your laptop is 10-12 years old, it is probably time for a new one. If it's that old, it just might have an older battery, so you would want to make sure you don't charge it overnight, or leave it plugged in all the time.

IS IT OKAY TO LEAVE A LAPTOP ON YOUR BED OR CARPET?

Is it okay to leave a laptop on your bed, your pillow, or the carpet? All of my kids leave their computers right where they used them last, and it's usually on the arm of the living room chair plugged into the wall, or I'll just find them on top of their blankets on their bed. Will this cause a fire?

Smallbusiness.chron.com answered my question saying that leaving your laptop on fabric or carpet can prevent your computer from venting heat properly. The heat that gets trapped in your computer can cause damage to the internal components, and if the laptop is exposed to high temps for too long, you could end up having to replace those components, including the hard drive, video card, and battery. Of course that being said, the answer is yes, all that heat could start a fire, so it's best to move your laptop to a hard surface when you are not using it, and a computer that's not being powered on or charging shouldn't create any heat at all.