Here’s what you need to know about wearing your hearing aids in chilly winter weather.

 

With the coming of winter weather, you may be wondering how chilly temperatures will affect your hearing aids. Read ahead for the information you need, so you can relax and enjoy the season whether you’re skiing down snowy slopes or bundled up beside a fire.

 

(By the way, if you’re wondering about the connection between winter and hearing loss, check out our complete blog on that topic.)

 

Most hearing aids are designed to function in cold temperatures

Beltone’s hearing aids are designed to function smoothly in a variety of temperatures. As stated in our user guides, “Our hearing aids are subjected to various tests in temperature and damp heating cycling between -25 °C (-13 °F) and +70 °C (+158 °F) according to internal and industry standards.” That means you shouldn’t have any problem with your hearing aids whether you’re sledding with the grandkids or enjoying the crisp weather on the balcony of a mountain cabin.

 

Most hearing aids are designed to be resistant to snow

Most hearing aids are built to hold up against the elements, including rain and snow. For added protection against the intrusion of liquid, choose from any of Beltone’s hearing aid models, which come with an HPF80 NanoBlock protective coating.

 

That said, no hearing aids are 100% waterproof and care should be taken to keep them as dry as possible while using them. Wear a breathable hat or earmuffs to keep your ears shielded from moisture, and dry off the equipment as needed when you come indoors (including swabbing inside the battery compartment if you wear traditional battery hearing aids). You may even wish to leave the hearing aids to dry overnight or place them in a hearing aid dehumidifier.

 

Cold weather can drain batteries faster

However, winter conditions do call for additional vigilance for those who were traditional battery hearing aids, as the cold and dry air can sometimes cause zinc-air batteries to drain faster than they normally would. Carry extra batteries with you (which you can order directly from Beltone’s online shop). Or better yet, make the switch to rechargeable hearing aids from Beltone.