If there’s one thing living in a humid subtropical climate like the SC Midlands is good for, it’s producing heat and moisture during the summer. Average humidity in the area frequently hits the mid to high 80s, with highs in the morning and lows in the afternoon.
So how can humidity impact your hearing aids? When does it go from a concern to a problem, and what can you do about it?
How Humidity Impacts Your Hearing Aids
Humidity depletes non-rechargeable batteries. According to Paul Deeble, Technical Liaison Manager at RAYOVAC©1, “Hearing aid batteries contain zinc air chemical technology, which can be sensitive to the presence or absence of moisture in the air. If you are in an environment that is high in humidity, possibly even wet, hearing aid batteries may absorb moisture through the holes that are designed to take in air to activate it, and subsequently this can shorten battery life.”
Humidity doesn’t impact rechargeable batteries in the same way. Rechargeable batteries do not have air holes. They are typically not directly affected by humidity.
Humidity can cause electronic interference in all hearing aid models. Like all electronic products, hearing aids rely on internal wiring to connect electrical components. Humidity can cause corrosion over time – even when hearing aids have high IP ratings.
What Does a Hearing Aid’s IP Rating Mean?
Typical hearing aid moisture resistance ratings consist of two numbers. The first number in an IP rating applies only to solid objects, such as dust and debris exposure, and has a maximum rating of six. The second number is a liquid protection rating for moisture, with a maximum rating of nine. For example, a hearing aid device with an IP rating of 68 is rated six out of six for dust and debris, meaning it is dust-tight and eight out of nine for moisture, indicating it is protected against immersion in water.
Testing conditions are typically under 10 feet of water, and the test period can range from as little as five minutes to as long as an hour.
Is Humidity-Caused Hearing Aid Damage Permanent?
Several major manufacturers have done water and humidity testing on their models.
One major manufacturer study found that after submersing their hearing aids with an IP rating of 68 in pressurized seawater for five minutes, followed by an additional 10 minutes in unpressurized seawater, 520 times on each of 10 pairs of hearing aids, seven in 10 still functioned within normal limits after drying.
Anecdotal evidence from hearing aid manufacturers who frequently see hearing aids enter their shop in a non-working state have indicated recovery from moisture damage is quite common after professional drying procedures.
This illustrates how important the drying process is.
How To Protect Your Hearing Aid Against Moisture
Because humidity in the Midlands is frequently above 80%, especially in the early morning, taking steps to dry out your hearing aid overnight is one of the best ways to prevent moisture-related damage.
To make it even easier, most major hearing aid manufacturers sell drying boxes that also double as chargers.
Drying Box Examples
- Signia carries a Dry&Clean Charger for RIC units
- Oticon’s SmartCharger includes a heating function for drying out hearing aids
- ReSound offers the PerfectDry Lux for drying hearing aids in just 45 minutes
What We Recommend
If you haven’t encountered moisture damage yet, it doesn’t often leave a visible indication before hearing aid malfunctions occur. Investing in a drying option now has the kind of payoff you’ll never notice. You won’t notice when your hearing aid doesn’t fail. You won’t remember that time your hearing aid didn’t stop working during a family vacation, or that you could hear every moment of a critical meeting, you won’t notice because you’ll be working to prevent it.
That’s what we recommend. Preventative action now, so you don’t have to experience a failing hearing aid later. Your future self might not remember to thank you, but they’ll certainly owe you one.
Take the time to integrate a drying box into your routine now. It’s worth it. If you need help determining which drying box is right for your hearing aid make and model, you aren’t on your own; we’re happy to help because helping you hear your best is what we do.
Sources
1 Rayovac. “How Humidity, Temperature and Altitudes Can Affect Hearing Aid Battery Life.” Rayovac Hearing Aid Batteries Europe, https://rayovac.eu/how-humidity-temperature-and-altitudes-can-affect-hearing-aid-battery-life/.
