Keeping your hearing instruments dry is one of the most basic things you can do to preserve the life and performance of your device. For many reasons this can be a challenge! Moisture can get inside the almost entirely sealed device through condensation, which is caused by changes in temperature, as well as through capillary action, where ear mold tubing and receiver tubes transfer moisture. Add in your own perspiration and earwax and you can see how moisture can become a problem.
For most hearing aid wearers the easiest solution to this problem is the use of a drying device every night. A classic dry-aid kit reduces humidity through the removal of moisture in the air with a desiccant. This is an effective form of drying for people in moderate climates with low relative humidity. Additionally, if using a classic dry-aid kit it is important to leave the hearing instruments inside the kit for longer periods of time (i.e. during the night time).
Another drying system is heated boxes which operates similarly to the classic dry-aid kids. The system raises the air temperature inside the box, creating a lower humidity level, making the air inside capable of holding more moisture. Heated boxes can be used with success in lower relative humidity areas, but their effectiveness drops off as ambient humidity rises.
There are also products available that combine heat with moving air from a fan, and it’s efficiency is much greater than that of either of the two types of driers previously mentioned. This type of device would be helpful for people that need a quick solution to drying out their instruments.
If you have questions on any of the products that help dry out hearing instruments feel free to contact-us. Read more about this topic in the article by Healthy Hearing.