It’s no secret that the weather forecast is not looking too rosy right now! We’ve just had one storm hit and now another is approaching today bringing very high winds and lots of rain. You may be worried about your hearing aids during such severe weather, but the truth is, whether it’s a classified storm, or just a little shower, your hearing aids are NOT fans of moisture.
Why do they need to stay dry?
Generally, all electronic devices are vulnerable to humidity and water – we all already know this. But do we know the actual reason that the water is so damaging? Often, it isn’t the water itself that causes the device to break, it is the microscopic impurities and ions in the water. Sometimes, these ions will form a chain that creates a connection between two contact points in your device. Unfortunately if this happens, when you turn the device on, the ion chain will lead the electricity somewhere it isn’t supposed to go hence the power shortage. Theoretically speaking, you could dry a device completely and make it work again as you’ve eliminated the ion chain, however we all know it’s not as simple as that!
Metal is a key component in a circuit which helps to power an electronic device, including your hearing aid. We all know that metal is vulnerable to rust or corrosion if it is exposed to water. In a hearing aid, the metal parts will be protected by a coating to ensure this doesn’t happen. However, if you repeatedly expose the hearing aids to humidity or rain without drying and cleaning them, they may still become damaged. You wouldn’t leave your tablet or mobile phone out in the rain just as you should be careful with your hearing aids.
Look after them!
Nowadays, hearing aids are well protected against water and humidity; they are designed in such a way that doesn’t let water in easily. This doesn’t mean you should become complacent and not look after them. There are extra steps you can take to keep them dry, and the more you maintain your hearing aids, the better they will work and the longer they will last. There are many different ways to dry your hearing aids…
Electronic Hearing Aid Drying Boxes
Drying boxes are small boxes that use air and heat to dry the hearing aids. They are available for all types of hearing aids, whether you have rechargeable or battery ones and they are super easy to use. If you have battery powered aids, you just pop the aids in the box and hit start. Drying can take anywhere between 45 minutes and 8 hours depending on their exposure to moisture. If you use rechargeable aids, most drying boxes work as a charger too so you just pop them in the box overnight and they’ll dry and recharge at the same time.
If you get caught in a heavy rain storm or accidentally wear your aids in the shower, you should always attempt to dry them straight away rather than waiting until overnight.
Some drying boxes come with additional UV lighting so that your aids are sanitised whilst they’re being dried too.
Non-electronic Dehumidifiers
If you prefer to use a method that uses no electricity to dry your aids, you could use hearing aid desiccants. These come in the form of pellets, discs or linings. It is handy to use these when you are going somewhere you’ll have no power (maybe camping!). Desiccants are easy to source online or at a pharmacy.
As long as you take care of your aids by cleaning them regularly and ensuring they are dried properly after any exposure to moisture, they should last you a long while before you need to consider upgrading. If you need any further advice, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
