Last year, we posted a helpful introduction to
hearing aid batteries. Now you’ve got your hearing aids and you know how to use them, but your batteries seem to be wearing out quickly.
Keep reading for a bunch of tips and tricks to help preserve your batteries as long as possible, and keep your hearing strong!
The “Five Minute Rule” for Hearing Aid Batteries
Your mother may have always told you about the fifteen-minute rule: you have to wait at least fifteen minutes after eating before you can swim. Now, we have a new rule for you—the five-minute rule.
This was discovered by an eighth-grade student in the Midwest, who wears
hearing aids and was curious about how to prolong his battery life. The budding scientist, Ethan Manuell, and his audiologist studied the effect of wait time on his hearing aid batteries and made a surprising discovery.
To activate your hearing aid battery, you must remove a sticker—this allows oxygen to mix with the zinc oxide that is inside the battery and activate it.
Ethan realized that if hearing aid users wait a short five minutes after removing the sticker before putting the battery in the device, the battery can last up to three days longer.
The improved battery life is due to allowing the zinc to energize as much as possible as it mixes with oxygen. Remember the five-minute rule next time you change your batteries.
Protect Your Hearing Aids in Cool and Dry Environments
Moisture and intense temperatures are two elements that can spell disaster for hearing aid batteries.
This is especially important to remember during the hot
summer months . Even if you’re careful to never jump into the pool with your hearing aids, moisture can be damaging your batteries in other ways.
It is important to keep your batteries away from excessive humidity—a humid environment can also get your batteries wet and damage or destroy them.
It is important to also keep your batteries away from extreme temperatures. Batteries should be stored at room temperature, between 50-85 degrees Fahrenheit.
Years ago, it was helpful to put batteries in the fridge to prolong their life, but with today’s technology, freezing your batteries will ruin them. It is also helpful to keep the battery door open when you’re not using your
hearing aids (such as at night or when you’re sleeping).
Keeping the battery door open can help dry out any excess moisture from the battery compartment.
Keep Your Hearing Aids OFF to Preserve Battery Life
One of the easiest and best ways to prolong your hearing aid battery life is to simply keep your hearing aids off when you’re not using them.
Switch off your
hearing aids by simply opening the battery door and leaving your hearing aids in a safe, dry place. As we mentioned above, this can also help drain any moisture that is in the battery compartment.
Following these simple tips can greatly improve your hearing aid’s battery life.
It’s also important to remember to not mix hearing aid batteries in with metal objects, like keys or coins—this can cause the battery to short circuit. It’s up to you to take care of your hearing aids, and preserving the battery life is a great way to keep your hearing strong!
By: Elena McPhillips
