Hearing Aid Batteries Last Longer with These Tips

If you are experiencing hearing loss, then you’ll know how important hearing aids are. They let you hear all the beautiful sounds around you! These devices come with lots of little components, but few are as crucial as the hearing aid batteries. 

You see, a lot of hearing aid problems stem from the batteries. Talk to an ENT specialist, and they’ll explain that most complaints revolve around batteries that don’t last very long. In general, you should be able to get some good use out of a set of hearing aid batteries before they die. 

However, things can be done to extend the life of these batteries. Below, we’ve listed some excellent tips that will ensure your hearing aid batteries last as long as possible: 

Keep the batteries unopened until you need them

A common mistake is to open a pack of hearing aid batteries and just leave them in a drawer or safe place. The problem with this is that the packaging helps maintain the power of the batteries. Not only that, but they come with little tabs that cover the top of the battery. If you remove them, then the battery power starts to drain right away. 

Hearing aid batteries are zinc-air batteries. In effect, this means that the air activates them. So, if you keep them in their packaging with the tabs on, then they won’t activate. As a result, you can use fully charged batteries all the time. 

If you take them out and activate them too early, then you’re essentially putting used batteries in your hearing aids. In turn, this means they don’t last as long. 

Turn your hearing aid off

Obviously, if you’re not using your hearing aid, then there’s no need for it to be turned on. This is a simple tip, but you’ll be amazed at how many people forget to do this. When you initially receive your device, the ENT doctor will explain the best practices for wearing them. This includes removing them before bed and turning them off when they’re not being used. 

The longer your hearing aids are on for, the quicker the battery drains. So, don’t waste any precious power when you don’t need to!

Open the battery door before going to sleep

When you go to sleep, you should take your hearing aids out and put them in a safe place. Then, you should open the battery door. Why? Because this minimizes battery drain, but it also stops any corrosion from happening in the battery chamber. 

A lot of the time, moisture gets trapped in the chamber and corrodes the battery. As you can imagine, this massively reduces the lifespan of the battery. By opening the door, you basically let the chamber breathe, and any moisture can evaporate. 

To take this to another level, you can buy hearing aid dehumidifiers. Here, you ensure that no moisture gets stuck in the battery chamber!

Store your hearing aid batteries in a cool, dry place

The way you stored your hearing aid batteries will play a significant role in how long they last. The best thing to do is to store them in a dry place at room temperature. As a result, they’re not exposed to extreme humidity or moisture. Therefore, the batteries remain in excellent condition before you open them. 

Under no circumstances should you store hearing aid batteries in the fridge. Some websites recommend this, but your ENT doctor will tell you this is a terrible idea. The cold creates too much condensation, which can damage the batteries before they’ve been opened. 

Wait five minutes before putting them in

When you activate your hearing aid batteries, wait five minutes before inserting them. This sound contradictory, but it’s proven to extend the battery life by around three days. 

If you place the batteries in straight away, then they’ve not had a chance to fully activate. By waiting a few minutes, you let the air activate the battery and get it ready for action. It’s a simple tip, but you can add days onto the battery life. 

Buy new hearing aid batteries

All batteries come with use-by dates on them. The closer you get to this date, the worse the performance will be. While hearing aid batteries can last for years in their packaging, it always makes sense to buy the newest ones. 

For example, if you have a hearing aid battery that’s a year old, it won’t last as long as one that you buy right now. New ones will last longer, so avoid buying batteries in bulk. Only buy new ones when required, and you’ll make them last much longer. 

Contact ENT Physicians for hearing aid advice

If you need help with your hearing aids or hearing aid batteries, then please get in touch with us today. Call us now at (419) 318-4987, and we’ll explain all the ways that we can assist you.