Summer brings parties at Long Branch Swimming Pool, slip n’ slides, kayaking on the Potomac and many more fun water activities. However, keeping your hearing aids dry and protected while enjoying these activities can be challenging.
Let’s take a closer look at some summer tips and tricks for hearing aid care.
What If Your Hearing Aids Get Wet?
Though contact with water should be avoided, accidents happen. If your hearing aid gets wet, follow these steps to help prevent damage:
- Determine the extent of water damage. Remove hearing aids from the source of water immediately. If you forgot to take them out before running through the sprinkler or jumping into the pool, bring them to a dry location after contact.
- Wipe away moisture with a dry cloth. Remove the battery and wipe down the battery compartment and external parts of the hearing aid.
- Use hearing aid dryers. Electric hearing aid dryers or dryer jars (with moisture-absorbing beads) can help suck out additional moisture.
- Test hearing aids after drying. Following manufacturer guidelines, test the functionality of your hearing aids. Even if you don’t notice noise damage or other issues, contact your provider to discuss possible damage.
- Check your hearing aid warranty. Most hearing aids come with warranties for repair. Check the warranty of your hearing aid to see if it covers water damage. If it does, speak with your warranty policy contact immediately.
How to Prevent Further Water Damage
Removing hearing aids before water-based activities is the number one thing you can do to prevent water damage. Before summer activities, store your hearing aids in their protective case at a safe distance from water. If you are going on a vacation, bring dryers and cloths to dry out hearing aids in case your device gets wet.
About 28.8 million U.S. adults could benefit from hearing aids. Don’t let worries about water damage stop you from seeking treatment for your hearing loss. Contact the hearing aid experts at Hearing Center Silver Spring to schedule an appointment today.