Do you feel as if your hearing aid batteries are not keeping a charge as long as they should? Here are some surprising reasons that might happen.How long should hearing aid batteries last? The ordinary hearing aid battery lasts anywhere from 3 to 7 days. That range is fairly wide. So wide, in fact, that it’s unpredictable and puts you in a serious predicament. Things could suddenly get quiet when you’re trying to hear the cashier at the grocery store after 4 days of battery power. Or it’s day 5 and you’re enjoying a call with friends when unexpectedly you find yourself feeling very alone because you can no longer follow the conversation. Now, you’re watching TV. You can no longer hear the news. Wait, it’s only day 2. Yes, occasionally they even drain before that 3-day mark. It’s not just inconvenient. You’re missing out on life because you’re not sure how much juice is left in your hearing aids. Here are the likely culprits if your hearing aid batteries die quickly.
A Battery Can be Depleted by Moisture
Did you realize that humans are one of the few species that produce moisture through their skin? It’s a cooling method. We do it to clear out excess sodium or toxins in the blood. Moreover, you might live in a humid or rainy climate where things are even more moist. The air vent in your hearing aid can get clogged by this additional moisture and it will be less efficient. Moisture can also interact with the chemicals of the battery causing it to deplete faster. You can prevent moisture-related battery drainage with these steps:
- Don’t keep your hearing aids in the bathroom, kitchen or other moist conditions
- Get a dehumidifier for your hearing aids
- if your storing them for several days or more, take the batteries out
- Open the battery door before storing the hearing aids
Batteries Can be Drained by Advanced Hearing Aid Features
You get a much better hearing aid nowadays than you did even a decade ago. But if you’re not paying attention, these advanced functions can cause faster battery drain. You can still use your favorite features. But be aware that if you stream music all day from your smartphone to your hearing aids, you’ll need to replace the battery sooner. Noise-canceling, Bluetooth, multichannel, tinnitus relief — all of these extra features can drain your battery.
Batteries Can be Impacted by Altitude Changes
Moving from a low to high altitude can drain your batteries, especially if they’re on their last leg. When skiing, flying or climbing always brings some extra batteries.
Maybe The Batteries Aren’t Really Low
Some hearing aids let you know when the battery is low. Generally speaking, these alerts are giving you a “heads up”. It doesn’t mean you have a dead battery. Also, the charge can occasionally dip temporarily due to altitude or environmental changes and that can trigger a false low battery warning. In order to stop the alarm, take the batteries out, and then put them back in. The battery may last a few more hours or even days.
Handling Batteries Improperly
You should never take out the little tab from the battery until you’re ready to use it. Refrain from getting skin oil and dirt on your hearing aid by washing your hands before touching them. Hearing aid batteries should not be frozen. This strategy may increase the life of some kinds of battery but it doesn’t work with hearing aid batteries. Hearing aid batteries might lose battery power faster if you make these simple handling errors.
It isn’t a Good Plan to Purchase a Year’s Supply of Batteries
When you can afford to do it, buying in bulk can be a smart idea. But the last few batteries in the pack most likely won’t have full power. Try to stick with a 6-month supply or less unless you’re fine with wasting a few.
Purchasing Hearing Aid Batteries Online
Buying from the web can be a good thing. There are some pretty good deals out in cyberspace. But some less honest people will sell batteries online that are very near to the expiration date. Or worse, it has already passed. So you need to be cautious.
There’s an expiration date on both alkaline and zinc batteries. You wouldn’t buy milk without looking at the expiration date. You have to use the same amount of care with batteries. If you want to get the most from your pack, be certain the date is well in the future. It’s probably a good idea to message the vendor if you don’t see an expiration date or even better, come see us for your battery needs. Make sure you know and trust the seller.
Modern Hearing Aids Are Rechargeable
Hearing aids might drain too rapidly for numerous reasons. But by taking little precautions you can get more life out of each battery. If you’re looking to buy a new set of hearing aids, you might decide on a rechargeable model. If you charge them at night, you get a full day of power the next day. The rechargeable batteries only need to be changed every few years.
