Moisture could be considered the number one enemy of your hearing aids. Like any electronic if moisture builds up on the circuit board, it can effect the function of the electronic. Uncontrolled moisture levels in a hearing aid effects the longevity of the hearing aid.
As hearing aids are worn on our bodies all day, they are running at body temperature. Which is actually warmer then ideal however it cannot be avoided. We can however work to control the moisture level in our hearing aids by using a drying kit or electric dryer as high temperature and high moisture left untreated create corrosion and stress on our hearing aids.
How do you control moisture?
It is recommended to use a dryer nightly, if possible. There are a couple different styles of dryers. The traditional Drying Kit uses a drying capsule to absorb moisture. The electric version offers a stronger drying ability, along with a UV light to kill any bacterial or viral residue.
Patients at HearingLife are provided with a drying kit and one replacement drying capsule as part of their care package, additional replacement capsules are available for purchase.
Drying capsules will need to be replaced every 3-6 months based on the level of moisture, the capsule will start out orange and will fade to a very pale yellow or colourless when it is needing to be replaced.
Electric dryers are available for purchase. They have a built in fan and UV light that runs a 30 minute cycle.
Pros and cons of different drying options
Drying Kit
Pros: Small and easy to travel with, simple and straight forward
Cons: Need to replace the drying capsule approx. twice a year, not as strong of drying ability, Slower-recommended to leave hearing aids in the drying kit all night
Electronic Dryer
Pros: Stronger drying capabilities, UV light kills bacteria and virus', Faster- Completes a cycle in 30 min.
Cons: Cost, requires electricity
Those with rechargeable hearing aids will typically have them in the charging dock overnight, so using the drying kit overnight isn’t practical. In this case, we would recommended that you would consider a electric dryer that could complete a cycle in 30 minutes and be done a couple times a week.
All our offices are also equipped with industrial grade dryers, that when you bring your hearing aids in for a cleaning we run your hearing aids through this cycle.