This article provides tips for maintaining hearing aids in colder weather. It emphasizes the importance of being cautious when removing hats and scarves to avoid losing hearing aids, keeping spare batteries or a charger handy as cold weather can drain battery life faster, and considering taking out hearing aids during activities like skiing or snowmobiling to prevent loss or moisture exposure. The article also advises letting hearing aids rest after coming in from the cold by removing them and opening the battery door to release moisture (or simply wiping rechargeable aids with a dry cloth) and using a dehumidifier to extend their life. On the flip side, it cautions against worrying that cold weather will inherently harm hearing aids, storing batteries or chargers in cars, placing rechargeable aids in heated drying systems, neglecting daily cleaning, and hesitating to contact a hearing professional if issues like distortion or static arise.
In places where it gets cold, it can be tough on a lot of things: automobiles, fingers and toes, and our psyche. But it doesn’t need to be hard on hearing aids, so long as you keep in mind a few things to do — and not do — when wearing hearing aids in cold weather.
Five do’s
- Be careful when removing hats and scarves to avoid pulling off and losing your hearing aids.
- Keep spare batteries on hand (or a charger with you for rechargeable devices) as winter cold can drain batteries faster than normal.
- Consider removing your hearing aids when participating in winter activities like skiing or snowmobiling to avoid losing your hearing aids or exposing them to excess moisture.
- When coming in from the cold, let your hearing aids rest awhile by removing them, and opening the battery door to let moisture/condensation escape. (Rechargeable hearing aids can simply be wiped with a dry cloth after removal.)
- Use a hearing aid dehumidifier to help extend the life of your hearing aids.
Five don’ts
- Don’t worry that cold weather will necessarily harm your hearing aids — they’re made of tough stuff!
- Don’t store batteries or chargers in the car.
- Don’t store your rechargeable hearing aids in a heated drying system.
- Don’t forget to keep up with the daily cleaning regimen of your hearing aids.
- Don’t hesitate to call your hearing professional if you notice distortion, sound cutting in and out, or static from your hearing aids.
