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Whether you are new to hearing aids or have been enjoying them for years, you may find that you rely on them every day to help you hear the people in your life and navigate your world with improved awareness. In just a short time it is amazing how fast you’ve come to look at these tiny state of the art devices for ease in listening, even with hearing loss.
Hearing aids continue to lead the market in digital micro processing providing advanced audio processing and features to improve your listening experience, such as directional microphones to help you hear in noise, wind suppression for ease in outdoor environments and wireless connectivity. However, despite advancements, these technological marvels have a long way to come in the way of water resistance. While some hearing aids can repel water, just a minimal fraction of hearing aids on the market offer 100 percent waterproof performance. You’ll be wearing your hearing aids from the moment you wake till the time you go back to bed, only to be removed when bathing or swimming. However, living around water and moisture is an essential part of life which can take some finesse when wearing hearing aids. Here are some tips for dealing with moisture and hearing aids.
How Humidity Affects Your Hearing Aids
Most of us have had those unfortunate moments of dropping your smartphone in the toilet or pool. While many of us have saved our devices by putting them in a Ziplock bag with rice, it’s a constant concern we must look out for when navigating a world reliant on digital devices. When you live with hearing aids, it means navigating a world where moisture is always a risk. Even if you aren’t accidently submerging your devices, during these summer months humidity is higher which means you must come up with strategies for preventing moisture build up in your hearing aids.
When it’s humid outside, it means that it can cause condensation as damp air reaches the cooler metal components of your hearing aids. This can build up and cause short circuits to the fragile electrical components of your hearing aids, causing them to malfunction and deliver distorted sound. It can also cause corrosion on your replaceable or rechargeable battery contacts, impeding power delivery to your devices and causing them to sound distorted.
Water-Resistant, Not Waterproof
When you live an active lifestyle, sweat is inevitable. When it’s hot, you don’t even have to do much to work up a sweat. However, sweat in your ears can build up in your hearing aids causing them to malfunction if you don’t keep it under control. Almost all hearing aids have a water-resistant nanotechnology coating that protects your devices from water, however this isn’t 100 percent waterproof.
How To Dry A Wet Hearing Aid
We believe that prevention is the best course of action in preventing moisture build up but in the case that your hearing aids become submerged in water it is important not to panic. Here are some steps to take:
- The first step is to take the batteries out and turn down your hearing aids immediately to reduce the risk of a short circuit or system failure.
- Place your hearing aids in a dry newspaper and dry for at least 24 hours inside your house.
- Putting your hearing aids near a dry source such as a lamp to speed up the drying process.
- The bag of rice trick works for all electronic devices including your hearing aids. Put them in a plastic bag submerged in rice.
- If you have access to a hearing aid dehumidifier it is time to use it now!
Hearing Aid Dehumidifiers
The best way to prevent moisture build up is to invest in a hearing aid dehumidifier. These airtight cases often use a descant or electronic dehumidifier to pull the moisture out of your hearing aids to prevent a buildup of moisture.
Many of these are overnight in drying boxes designed to evaporate humidity in hearing aids. While some are stand-alone hearing aid dehumidifiers, others double as a charging station for rechargeable batteries in hearing aids, so every morning your hearing aids will not only be fully charged but free of moisture as well.
Discover How to Prevent Moisture in Your Hearing Aids
To find out how to keep your hearing aids dry and other ways to care for your devices, contact us today!