Is My Hearing Aid Dying?

It’s essential to keep your hearing aid working well, but it’s challenging to know when to replace your current unit with a new one. There are sure signs that your hearing aid needs to be replaced and care tips that will help it last longer.

Let’s look at what you can do to get the most out of your hearing aid and hear everything around you.

Does My Hearing Aid Have a Warranty?

Most hearing aids come with a 6-month to 12-month warranty. And some hearing aids have extended warranties as well. Review your warranty and replacement policy for your hearing aid. If necessary, call the place of purchase and ask them what the policy

Common Signs That Your Hearing Aid is Dying

Depending on the type of hearing aid and how often you use it, a hearing aid battery can last between 3 – 22 days. You can expect to change your batteries once a week to once a month. Sound distortion or hearing a beep will notify you that your battery needs to be changed.

If you have a rechargeable hearing aid, you can expect it to last for the lifetime of the hearing aid. These contain lithium-ion batteries that you recharge for 3-5 hours each day and a full charge provides you with at least a 24-hour charge.

These batteries can last 3-5 years. Once these batteries lose charge, consider a new purchase or contact the manufacturer for a replacement.

Can I Make my Hearing Aid Last Longer?

Even top-of-the-line hearing aids need a constant, reliable energy source. To ensure your batteries last, follow these tips to improve battery life.

• Store hearing aid batteries at room temperature and keep them away from extreme cold or heat.
• Wash your hands to remove grease and dirt before replacing your battery.
• Open your hearing aid at night to ensure excess moisture does not seep in. This can cause early battery corrosion.
• Remove dead batteries as soon as possible. Sometimes they swell, making them harder to remove the longer they stay in.
• Keep an extra set of batteries with you in case you lose your charge.
• To protect your hearing aid from other metals like coins and keys. This can cause the energy to discharge quickly.

Rechargeable Hearing Aids

Rechargeable hearing aids are low maintenance and don’t require regular battery replacement.
Rechargeable hearings have two different types.

• Silver-zinc: hearing aids have a battery door
• Lithium-ion: hearing aids don’t have a battery door

Knowing your hearing aid type will help you care for and extend the life of your hearing aid battery.

Silver-Zinc (with a Battery Door)

Silver-zinc batteries are known Z-Power batteries. They are about the same size and shape as regular hearing aid batteries. They take about 3-4 hours to fully charge and will give your battery life of 24 hours. These batteries last about a year. You can purchase news through your healthcare provider.

Silver-Zinc Hearing Aid Batteries Charging Tips:

1. Hearing Aids need to be dry and free of dirt before placing them in the charging station.

2. The hearing aids automatically turn off when you place them in the charging base. You don’t need to charge them.

3. You will see an indicator light when the hearing aids are charging. The blinking light indicates the hearing aids are getting charged. It will stop blinking and stay lit when the hearing aids are fully charged in about 3-4 hours.

4. A proper hold will lengthen the life of your battery. Take the hearing aid out by the battery, not by the wire connecting the receiver.

Lithium-Ion (without a Battery Door)

You know you have a rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery if your hearing aid doesn’t have a battery door. Like the Silver-Zinc hearing aid, the batteries fully charge in about 3-4 hours and will power your hearing aids for about 24 hours.

There is a 4-5 year life expectancy on these batteries. At the end of this period, consider purchasing new hearing aids or contact the manufacturer to have the internal battery replaced.

4 Ways to Keep your Lithium Batteries Healthy

1. When not in use, put your hearing aids in the charging station. Constant charging doesn’t affect the life of the battery, which ensures you always have a substantial charge when needed.

2. Make sure you store your hearing aids in an active charging station. Leaving batteries sitting around in an unplugged station will shorten their life and cause battery drainage.

3. These batteries don’t need the battery door opened like non-rechargeable hearing aids.- Keep the door closed and the batteries safe.

4. If you know you aren’t going to use your hearing aids for a few hours and can’t leave them in the charging stations, store them in a safe place where they can not touch each other or other metal objects.

If you are having problems with your hearing aids, it may be time to visit a hearing aid specialist. Contact us today for an expert consultation today.