Temperatures across the UK will be as hot as 25C today, and while the balmy weather may be exciting for Brits, various warnings have been issued, including one for motorists. Experts are urging drivers not to leave vapes in their cars during the ‘mini-heatwave’ as they could be at risk of exploding.
Markus Lindbald, director of the online vape store Haypp, revealed the dangers of leaving vapes in the car as weather conditions soar and what to do if your vape overheats.
He explained: “All vape require a battery to function, and these batteries are very sensitive to any extreme change in temperatures, especially heat. If you leave your vape in the car, and it’s exposed to the sun for a long period of time, then the vape battery is at risk of swelling, leaking and in some cases, can potentially cause the battery to explode.”
The high heat can also result in the liquid inside causing leaks. He added: “A leaking vape will not only cause a sticky mess within the car interior and be difficult to clean, but in some cases it can also cause irritation to the skin too.”
Markus says that if a vape has leaked in the car it should not be used and disposed of “correctly”.
Your vape is completely worse of when exposed to heat as even if it does explode or leak, the exposed heat can still damage parts of it “impacting the performance of the device” as well as the battery lifespan and ruining the coils, screen or tank.
On top of all this, if the vape causes a car fire, you might not be able to claim on your insurance. Markus explained: “Some policies might have clauses that exclude coverage for fires caused by vaping devices, arguing that you increased the vehicle’s fire risk, resulting in the car owner paying thousands of pounds worth of damage.”
If you do happen to leave your vape in a hot car for a long period of time, the expert advises to “safely” cool down the vape by placing it in a dark place or wiping it down with a cold damp cloth and allowing it to air dry.
Never place it in water to cool down, as it could increase the risk of the battery exploding.