Maintaining Your Hearing Devices in the Summer

Summer weekends on Long Island fill up quickly once the weather warms. Beach chairs come out of the garage, boats return to the water and plans start filling the calendar.

There are afternoons along the South Shore, trips out east and plenty of time spent outside. Hearing aids come along for those days too, when summer weather and time near the water bring a few different things to consider.

You don’t need to change your summer plans because you wear hearing aids. You may just handle your devices a little differently during the warmer months.

From days at the beach to humid afternoons closer to home, summer brings situations that don’t come up as often during the rest of the year. An audiologist can show you how to care for your devices throughout the season.

How Summer Weather Can Change the Way Hearing Devices Work

Hot, humid weather puts hearing devices in contact with more moisture than usual. Humidity can collect around microphone openings or inside tubing.

Sweat can also reach parts that sit against the ear. When moisture gets into these areas, sound may become muffled or cut in and out.

High temperatures create different problems in hearing aids. Batteries may drain faster in the heat.

A parked car can also become hot enough to expose the electronics to temperatures well above the outdoor reading. Summer weather may put your devices through conditions they rarely encounter during cooler months.

Common Issues You Might Notice with Hearing Devices in Hot Weather

On hot days, you may notice your hearing devices sitting differently in your ears. Sweat can make a dome or earmold slippery enough to move during the day.

Warmth may soften earwax, making it easier for wax to collect around a receiver or sound opening. Moving from outdoor heat into a heavily air-conditioned building brings a quick temperature change.

That change may leave condensation on or inside certain parts of the device. Feedback may also show up more often when moisture changes how securely an earmold or dome sits in the ear.

Noticing When Moisture Is Building Up Inside Your Devices

Moisture can reach the inside of a hearing device without leaving much evidence on the casing. Often, the first sign is a change you hear while wearing it.

Watch for things like:

• • Crackling that wasn’t there earlier in the day.
  • Sound dropping out for a few seconds and returning.
  • Volume changing even though you haven’t adjusted it.
  • Tiny water droplets showing inside clear tubing.
  • A battery compartment that feels damp when opened.
  • The device working normally again after it has had time to dry.

How Sunglasses and Hats Can Affect Hearing Aid Performance

Hat brims, straps and fitted caps may brush across the microphones as you move your head. That contact can sound much louder through the devices than it does to anyone nearby.

Sunglasses can also catch on your hearing aid when you take them off, so removing the frames carefully keeps the device from coming off with them.

What Happens When Sunscreen or Lotion Touches Your Hearing Device

Sunscreen and lotion can leave a thin residue on the parts of a hearing device that sit close to the skin. That film may collect around microphone openings, vents or charging contacts and interfere with how those parts work.

On earmolds or domes, oily products can also make the surface feel slick and affect how securely it sits. The residue may pick up dust or sand more easily too, which can leave small openings clogged faster than usual.

Wearing Hearing Aids at the Pool or Beach Without Worry

A pool or beach day usually comes down to where your hearing aids are while you’re in the water and how you store them nearby. Unless your devices are specifically approved for swimming, take them out before getting in.

Keep them in a dry case instead of wrapping them in a towel, where they can be forgotten or dropped into a bag with wet clothes.

At the beach, a closed case also keeps sand away from the microphones and charging contacts. Before putting the devices back on, dry your ears and hands so you aren’t transferring water or sunscreen onto them.

Protecting Your Devices from Insects and Pollen

Pollen can settle into hearing aid microphone covers and other small openings after hours spent outside. Once enough collects, the microphones may not pick up sound the same way. Insect repellent brings a separate concern because it’s often applied as a spray. Take your hearing aids out before spraying near your head or neck, then wait until the mist has cleared before putting them back on.

Small insects can also get into an open storage case left on a patio, picnic table or beach blanket. Keep the case closed whenever your devices aren’t inside it.

Smart Ways to Store Hearing Devices While Traveling in Summer

Travel can disrupt the storage setup you normally use at home. Giving your devices a designated place among your luggage makes them easier to keep track of throughout the trip.

A few travel-specific habits include:

• • Keep chargers and device-specific accessories together in one pouch.
  • Bring enough disposable batteries for the entire trip if your devices use them.
  • Pack a plug adapter when traveling somewhere with different electrical outlets.
  • Label the hearing aid case with your name and phone number.
  • Check hotel nightstands and bedside outlets before leaving the room.
  • Count both devices before checking out or moving to your next destination.

Adding Extra Protection with Drying Kits or Dehumidifiers

Electronic dehumidifiers may use gentle heat or moving air during a timed drying cycle. Some models also use UV light, though that feature is for surface sanitation rather than moisture removal.

Drying time varies by product, so follow the directions for the device and dryer you use. Rechargeable hearing aids may also require a drying unit designed to work safely with their batteries and charging components.

Why Carrying Spare Parts Is Helpful During Busy Summer Days

A long summer day can keep you away from your usual hearing aid supplies for hours. A small pouch can hold the replacement parts made for your devices.

Depending on the model, you might pack wax guards, domes, filters or disposable batteries. Check the sizes before leaving home since parts that look similar may not fit the same device.

Wax guards and domes are small enough to lose while changing them away from home, so packing more than one is practical.

A dome may also tear or a filter may need replacing while you’re out. Keeping the correct parts with your hearing aid supplies means they’re nearby when you need to swap one.

Knowing When to Ask an Audiologist About Device Care Problems

If your hearing aid keeps having the same problem after it has been cleaned and dried, it may be time for an audiologist to check it.

Sound that stays weak or distorted, repeated shutoffs or charging problems may come from a part that isn’t accessible at home. Visible cracks, corrosion or moisture that keeps returning are also reasons to bring the device in.

An audiologist can test how your hearing aid is performing and inspect the internal components. From there, they can determine whether it needs a deeper cleaning, a new part or a manufacturer repair.

Making a Handy Checklist for Summer Maintenance of Your Hearing Devices

A summer maintenance checklist can also include the small details that are easy to forget when your schedule gets busy. Adding a few reminders can help you during the summer:

• • Check that battery doors open and close without sticking.
  • Inspect tubing for cracks or areas that have become stiff.
  • Look at domes and earmolds for tears before putting them on.
  • Keep track of when wax guards or filters were last changed.
  • Clean the hearing aid case itself instead of only the devices.
  • Review the manufacturer’s care instructions before taking the devices on a summer trip.

Keeping Your Hearing Devices Working Their Best All Summer

You don’t need an intricate maintenance routine to account for those changes. Paying attention to your devices throughout the season also means you’re more likely to notice when something needs cleaning or replacing.

Trailview Audiology in Long Island, NY, can handle maintenance that goes beyond what you normally do at home.

We can clean areas that are harder to reach, replace worn parts and check that the devices are working properly. Call us today at (631) 516-2095 to schedule a visit.