By The AsiaOne Techbot

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Here is one tech tip that might save your life: never leave your laptop, phone or any other electronic gadget plugged into the charger overnight.

Sure, it might sound like a good idea to while away the hours that a typical laptop or phone takes to charge while you're happily sleeping away.

But leaving your devices plugged into a power source and unattended for long stretches of time might lead to fires caused by batteries overcharging or the devices overheating with no one around to notice.

Don't overcharge or allow your devices to overheat

Most computers and devices today use rechargeable lithium-Ion batteries. While these batteries are usually equipped with built-in chips to keep them from overcharging, errors might still occur especially when either the battery or the charger becomes faulty over time.

When charging an electronic device or rechargeable batteries, always monitor the device and batteries for overheating. Once the device is fully charged, turn of the power source unless you intend to continue using the device.

As a rule, lithium-based batteries should never be allowed to get warm in a charger. If your battery feels very warm or hot to the touch, turn off the charger immediately and stop using it until you have it checked by a technician.

Users should also place their devices in a well-ventilated place so as to prevent overheating. A desk or a non-flammable hard surface is recommended.

Never leave your laptop in a bag or on a soft, cushioned surface such as a sofa or bed while it is charging. Such surfaces might block the air vents in your laptop or fail to disperse heat generated by the device and contribute to overheating.

Overcharged or overheated batteries can cause deadly fires. Computer and gadget manufacturers have also from time to time issued recalls of their products due to potential overheating or overcharging problems. One such case is the recall of certain Acer Aspire laptops due to a potential overheating problem.

If you're thinking that freak accidents like these won't happen to anyone, well, one just did. Earlier in September this year, a 56-year-old Canadian man was killed in a blaze caused by his laptop which had overheated. The reason? He had left the computer plugged into a power source and placed it on a sofa, causing the device to overheat and burst into flames, all while he was taking a nap.