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iPhone Water Damage RepairJohannesburg, Pretoria & Gauteng
💧 Act Fast · Ultrasonic Cleaning · Board-Level Assessment · Honest Success Rates
Water damage repair requires fast action and honest communication. The IP67/IP68 rating on iPhones degrades significantly with age — a 7-year-old iPhone has minimal real water resistance. The most critical thing: do not charge a water-damaged phone. Charging drives current through corroded traces and causes secondary damage that makes recovery far harder. At iAssist we assess before quoting and are transparent about what is and isn't recoverable.
Silvamonte, Johannesburg — serving all Gauteng with R300 collection & delivery. Free diagnostic before any work begins.
10+Years experience
4.9★Google reviews
FreeDiagnostics
6-monthWarranty
R300Gauteng pickup
How we do it
iPhone water damage — despite IP67 and IP68 ratings — is one of the most common presentations at our workshop. IP ratings are measured under controlled lab conditions on new devices. Seal degradation, prior drops, and submersion beyond rated depth compromise the protection in practice. Salt water, pool water, and beverages are far more corrosive than fresh water and cause accelerating damage the longer the board remains wet.
Correct response: power off immediately, do not charge, do not place in rice (rice does nothing and delays treatment). Bring to iAssist as soon as possible. We perform ultrasonic cleaning in isopropyl alcohol, microscope inspection, corrosion removal, and targeted micro-soldering. Data recovery is assessed and performed before any repair work begins.
Dropped in water — won't turn on
Most urgent presentation. Power off if still on. Do not charge. Bring in immediately. Success rate is high when treated within hours, decreases rapidly with delay.
Salt water or pool damage
Far more corrosive than fresh water. Chlorine and salt attack copper traces within hours. Urgent ultrasonic cleaning required.
Liquid damage — still turns on
Do not assume it's fine. Corrosion continues on powered boards. Bring in for inspection and cleaning even if the phone appears functional.
Intermittent faults after getting wet
Touch failures, speaker distortion, microphone dropout, or charging issues appearing days after exposure. Delayed corrosion symptom. Board cleaning required.
Condensation damage
Repeated hot shower exposure, sauna, or high-humidity environments. Condensation bypasses the seal differently from direct submersion and accumulates in crevices.
Beverage damage
Coffee, juice, and alcohol are far more corrosive than water. Sugar residue and acids attack board coatings. Ultrasonic cleaning is essential — water rinse alone is insufficient.
Our ultrasonic cleaner operates at 40kHz — the frequency at which cavitation bubbles form and collapse in the isopropyl bath, dislodging corrosion from under BGA packages and between component leads without abrasion. After ultrasonic cleaning, the board is inspected under a stereo microscope at 40× before any further work. "Putting it in rice" is a myth that delays treatment and accelerates corrosion — every hour a powered or recently-powered board sits wet reduces recovery probability.
Our iphone water damage repair process
Do not charge
Most important step — before you bring it in, do not plug in the device. Remove SIM card. Bring it in dry.
Board inspection
Logic board removed, inspected under microscope for corrosion extent, short circuits, and damaged components.
Ultrasonic cleaning
Board cleaned in ultrasonic bath with cleaning solution — removes salt, mineral deposits, and corrosive residue.
Assessment & repair
Board powered after cleaning. Remaining faults identified. Clear quote on what can and cannot be restored.
Pricing
Select your iPhone model
Select your model for exact pricing on this repair — every tier, every model.
iPhone Water Damage Repair — pricing by model
All prices include parts, labour, and a 6-month warranty. Confirmed in writing after free diagnostic. Click any model for the full repair price list.
| iPhone model |
Price (incl. parts & labour) |
| iPhone 8 · X · XR · XS series |
| iPhone 8 |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone X |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone XR |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone XS |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone XS Max |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone SE series |
| iPhone SE 2020 |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone SE 2022 |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone 11 series |
| iPhone 11 |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone 11 Pro |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone 11 Pro Max |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone 12 series |
| iPhone 12 |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone 12 Mini |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone 12 Pro |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone 12 Pro Max |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone 13 series |
| iPhone 13 |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone 13 Mini |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone 13 Pro |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone 13 Pro Max |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone 14 series |
| iPhone 14 |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone 14 Plus |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone 14 Pro |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone 14 Pro Max |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone 15 series |
| iPhone 15 |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone 15 Plus |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone 15 Pro |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone 15 Pro Max |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone 16 series |
| iPhone 16 |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone 16 Plus |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone 16e |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone 16 Pro |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone 16 Pro Max |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone 17 series |
| iPhone 17 |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone 17 Air |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone 17 Pro |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone 17 Pro Max |
Assessment + quote |
| iPhone 17e |
Assessment + quote |
Why choose iAssist for iphone water damage repair?
Free diagnostic
We confirm the exact fault before quoting. No charge if we can't fix it.
6-month warranty
Parts and labour carry a full 6-month warranty. Written quote before work begins.
Component-level repair
Micro-soldering means we fix what other shops call unrepairable.
170 reviews · 4.9★
Johannesburg's most reviewed specialist Apple repair centre.
OEM-grade parts
No cheap aftermarket parts. OEM-quality components on every repair.
Nationwide courier
R300 insured collection across Gauteng. Nationwide courier available.
Three ways to get your iPhone to us
Walk in, arrange Gauteng collection, or ship from anywhere in South Africa. Every repair starts with a free diagnostic and written quote.
In person
Drop it off at the workshop
Walk in to our Silvamonte workshop any business day. Free parking, free diagnostic on the spot. Most screen and battery replacements can be completed while you wait or same day.
Shop 4, Silvercrest Centre
11 Swemmer Rd, Silvamonte, Johannesburg
Mon–Fri 09:00–17:00 · Sat 09:00–13:00
Gauteng · R300
Door-to-door via Eliz Courier
Eliz Courier & Messenger Services collects and returns your iPhone across Joburg, Pretoria, Centurion, and the East Rand. R300 round-trip. WhatsApp us to book — usually within 24 hours.
WhatsApp to book collection →
Nationwide
Ship via The Courier Guy
Anywhere in South Africa — Cape Town, Durban, PE, Bloem, Polokwane. We arrange Courier Guy collection from your door, your iPhone ships to us insured, gets repaired, and returns via the same courier.
WhatsApp to arrange courier →
Common questions
iPhone Water Damage Repair — frequently asked questions
My iPhone got wet and won't turn on — what should I do?
Do not charge it. Do not press buttons repeatedly. Remove SIM card. Bring it in as soon as possible — ideally within 24 hours. Corrosion accelerates over time.
My iPhone is IP68 rated — why is it water damaged?
IP ratings degrade with age — gasket seal wear, previous repairs, and daily use reduce water resistance. A 7-year-old iPhone has minimal IP protection vs its original spec. IP ratings also don't cover all liquid types.
Can you recover data from a water-damaged iPhone?
If the NAND storage chip and its connections are intact after cleaning, the device can often be restored and data accessed. If the NAND is severely corroded, recovery becomes much harder. We assess during the diagnostic.
What is your success rate for water damage repair?
Varies significantly: liquid type, submersion duration, whether it was charged after, and how quickly we receive it. Fresh water, brief exposure, not charged — high success rate. Salt water, long exposure, charged after — much lower.
My iPhone still works after getting wet but acts strangely — should I have it checked?
Yes — corrosion continues even after the device appears functional. Mineral deposits cause progressive faults that worsen over weeks. Board cleaning before full corrosion develops is significantly cheaper than board-level micro-soldering later.
I put my iPhone through a washing machine — is it repairable?
Sustained submersion, detergent chemicals, and agitation cause extensive corrosion. Recovery is possible but at lower success rates than brief fresh water exposure. Bring it in immediately.
How long does water damage repair take?
Ultrasonic cleaning and initial assessment: same-day. If board-level micro-soldering is required after cleaning, allow 2–5 days.
Will my iPhone work perfectly after water damage repair?
In straightforward cases — yes, full function restored. With significant corrosion, some functions may remain affected even after cleaning. We are honest about expected outcomes before you commit.
