5 tips for keeping your hearing aid safe in cold weather

Very low temperatures below 0°C can affect both hearing aid batteries, and damage the hearing aid itself. How cold is it outside? Will you be shovelling your driveway? Low temperatures and snow can affect hearing aids. So ask yourself: If the car is iced over and the snow is falling, what’s happening to the inside of my hearing aid?

Using Hearing Aids in Snow and Ice

If your hearing aid has become cold enough, when you go back inside to a warm environment then, like glasses steaming up, the inside of the hearing aid can develop condensation. This may lead to corrosion and result in problems with the operation of the hearing aid due to malfunction of the sensitive electronics.

5 tips for keeping your hearing aid safe in cold weather

1. If you’re going to get hot while shovelling the driveway you may be better off removing your hearing aids to prevent them from becoming damp, both from the sweat and snow. But please be careful if your hearing aids are helping your balance.
2. If you need to wear your hearing aid outside then you should wear a hat, headband or earmuffs to cover your whole ear to make sure that the hearing aid stays warm.
3. When removing your hearing aid, keep it somewhere warm and not in your pocket.
4. Don’t leave your hearing aid overnight in the glove compartment of your car when the temperatures are very low.
5. Remember to make sure that when your hearing aid is not in use you remove the battery and leave the battery compartment open to allow the device to dry inside and prolong the battery life.

Will my hearing aid batteries last in cold weather?

I’m sure we’ve all experienced the frustration that comes with trying to use certain mobile phones in very low temperatures; the way the battery seems to drain almost instantly when you go outside. Will this happen to your hearing aid too?

Like all batteries, hearing aid batteries do not like low temperatures and are designed to work at room temperature. Unfortunately all batteries lose charge faster in cold weather and the colder it is the faster the charge will drop.

We recommend keeping a spare pack of hearing aid batteries in a warm, dry place just in case.

What can I do if I think my hearing aid has become damp?

If your hearing aid becomes damp or even wet then click through to this guide about wearing hearing aids in the rain to dry it out. If you plan to be out in the cold a lot, then maybe think of purchasing a dehumidifier. Shop our online store for:

• Phonak D-Dry Box
• Dry and Store Zephyr
• Dry Spot Dehumidifier

To help with these issues some of our hearing aids have in built protection for rain and cold weather:

• The nano coating on the P 640S will make it more water resistant and offer additional protection.
• The wax barrier on the HD 151 can help protect from potential moisture damage.
• Hydro guards on the HD 360,HD 211,HD 230,HD 390and theHD 430 RIC will act as a barrier to moisture and dirt.

How do you cope with wearing hearing aids in cold weather and when it’s snowing and icy? We’d love to see your tips on our facebook page.