Protecting Your Hearing Aids Against Heat, Humidity, and H2O

by Signia USA

While the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic means this summer may be different, some things haven't changed: the danger that heat and humidity can pose to your hearing aids. But there are ways to protect your devices from the three H’s of summer – heat, humidity and H2O. Learn how you can keep your hearing aids safe in hot weather.

Protecting your hearing aids this summer

Whatever summer activities you have planned, there are quite a few potential dangers to your hearing aids. But they can be avoided by taking some precautions. Consider the following ways to take care of your devices in the heat.

• Avoid leaving your hearing aids in the car. Your vehicle can get pretty hot; one study found that after an hour in 95-degree weather the inside of your car can reach an average of 116 degrees.
• Make sure you have a storage case. While you might be accustomed to stashing your hearing aids anywhere that seems safe, you could likely benefit from a designated storage case. Such a case will protect your hearing aids from sand and water, which is crucial if you plan on going to the beach.
• Don’t leave your hearing aids in the sun. You should definitely remove your hearing aids if you plan on taking a swim, but leaving them in the sun isn’t much better. Keep them safe inside your house if you can.
• Clean your hearing aids after use. Your ears collect quite a bit of sweat, and your hearing aids will pick it up, too. Make sure to wipe down and clean your hearing aids at the end of the day.
• Dry your ears after swimming. After a swim, double-check your ears before putting your hearing aids back in. Tip your head to either side, dry your ears with a towel, and use an alcohol solution to get out any lingering water.
• Get a dehumidifier. With the heat and humidity, simply air-drying your hearing aids overnight might not be enough. Dehumidifiers can be a good way to make sure your hearing aids stay moisture-free. Just drop them in at the end of the day, and rest easy.
• Get your hearing aids professionally cleaned. After any close encounter with water or sand, consider taking your hearing aids to your hearing care professional for some special care. In other words: have a professional check them over and clean them for you. If there’s sand or water damage present, they’ll know what to do.

Water-resistant does not mean waterproof

It’s worth pointing out that there’s no such thing as a truly waterproof hearing aid. However, hearing aids can be water-resistant. Such hearing aids can protect against water damage and are more durable. Still, that doesn’t mean you should expose them to danger if you can help it.

For example, if you take a shower while wearing your hearing aids, they should be fine. However, a long dip in the pool or beach excursion might result in some damage. Water-repellent coatings and lithium-ion batteries make your hearing aids more durable, but they don’t make them impervious. Full immersion in water can be dangerous to the devices.

Choosing a summer-safe hearing aid

If you’ve just been diagnosed with hearing loss, or want to upgrade your hearing aids, you might be looking into water-resistant options. Signia has a lot of options, many of which meet the IP68 standard for dust and water resistance. Our lineup includes quite a few water-resistant hearing aids. In fact, every Signia hearing aid includes a hydrophobic coating. This repels water and dirt from getting into your hearing aids. While this won’t stop all forms of water damage, it can protect against sweat and grime. Combined with protective filters over the microphones and receivers, your hearing aid will last a long time if you’re careful.

If you’re interested in learning more about hearing aids, or just want to stay up-to-date on future articles on hearing health and hearing loss tips, you can subscribe to our newsletter keep yourself in the loop.