Water damage jobs are the most inconsistent earners in the repair business: done casually they produce comebacks and refunds, done systematically they produce some of the highest margins on the books. The difference is a written triage workflow that every tech follows identically. This is the 10-step version our wholesale customers run.
Steps 1-4: Intake and Documentation
- Photograph everything at intake — ports, sim tray, screen, liquid indicator. The photos settle disputes later.
- Record the liquid type with the customer. Salt water and pool water change the cleaning chemistry; fresh water is the easy case.
- Power-off rule: if the device arrived on, power it down immediately and do not charge it. Every hour of powered operation multiplies corrosion.
- Set expectations in writing: a water damage repair is a recovery attempt with a success rate you should quote honestly (60-80% for fresh water treated within days, lower for salt water).
Steps 5-8: Assessment
- Open and photograph the board before any cleaning. Corrosion location predicts repairability: connectors and shields clean up well; corrosion under large ICs usually ends the job.
- Remove the battery connection before any liquid contact with tools.
- Clean systematically: 99% IPA bath for the board, ultrasonic for shields and connectors where equipped. Never ultrasonic the populated board with the battery connected or with cheap IPA containing water.
- Dry and re-inspect under magnification — look under the shields for the green corrosion crust that predicts future failures.
Steps 9-10: Rebuild and Verify
- Replace every damaged external part in one pass: port flex, speakers, and battery are the usual casualties — batteries especially, since water exposure often swells them within weeks. Source replacements in bulk from our battery collection, charging port collection, and speaker collection so the rebuild is not delayed by missing parts.
- Run a 24-hour soak test before hand-back: charge cycles, speaker test, camera test, and a battery health check. Handing back early is how water damage shops earn their bad reputation.
The Margin Math
A disciplined workflow converts water jobs from gambling into a service with predictable outcomes. Shops that charge a fixed assessment fee up front — separate from repair — recover their triage labor even when the board is unfixable, and customers accept the fee because it was disclosed at intake.
FAQ
How long should a customer wait before the repair?
Same day. Corrosion progresses hourly; devices treated within 48 hours recover at roughly double the rate of week-old cases.
Should I replace the battery in every water job?
Practically yes — moisture exposure shortens cell life unpredictably, and the margin on a bulk battery absorbs the cost easily.
Can rice drying save the phone?
No. Rice is marketing folklore; the device needs opening, cleaning, and corrosion assessment.