Electronics and moisture never go well together. The main reason is that droplets, especially those with mineral content, exhibit great conductivity properties. Raindrops, sweat, and condensation droplets have a funny way of allowing electrical charges to short circuit electronic components. Water also tends to corrode internal components, making them unable to properly conduct electrical impulses, causing our devices to produce crackling sounds, static, or even stop functioning altogether.

That's why one of the first things most audiologists recommend is to keep your hearing aids dry. After all, these wonderful and vital high-tech devices are not cheap, so why not take good care of them?

Common sense dictates that we don't expose our hearing aid devices to high humidity levels. This usually means not wearing them when taking a shower, going for a swim, or walking in the rain. However, following this simple principle is sometimes harder said than done. Regular activities such as exercising, or perspiration due to other underlying medical conditions, can also cause moisture buildup that will eventually find its way inside your electronics. Even moisture from the air in the form of water vapor can pass through water-resistant barriers.

Many modern hearing aid manufacturers have indeed found clever ways to keep their devices dry under these conditions. There are models that sport tightly sealed housings that effectively keep moisture from seeping in. However, these models are usually made with specific audiences in mind and the cost is not justified for many users.

One affordable way to prevent your device from coming in contact with water is to use hearing aid sleeves. It is not a perfect solution, but they allow you to use your aids while playing sports or when you absolutely need to do stuff outside with uncooperative weather.

However, these are not 100% effective. Given the environment in which hearing aids operate, they still require the user to take some precautions after using them to ensure a long lifespan.

These provisions go way beyond keeping your hearing aids away from water. Even when taking extreme care, we will eventually notice that our sound quality changes a bit with time due to internal moisture buildup.

Common signs that your hearing aid has been exposed to excess moisture can range from muffled hearing to uneven performance. These could be due to the presence of tiny droplets inside the device. To solve this, many find that leaving your hearing aid inside a lidded jar with rice or silica gel packets for a couple of hours is a good way of dealing with these problems in some circumstances. But good does not mean ideal.

Rice and silica gel packets work great as a quick fix, but they cannot protect your equipment from gradual and permanent damage caused by moisture, corrosion, and germ growth. These passive methods do not have the reach and scope active hearing aid dehumidifiers offer. Moreover, they usually leave tiny amounts of water inside your device that will continue to deteriorate your components. Many of the paths that guide electricity inside the device are separated by really small distances and a single micro-droplet can bridge them causing current to enter parts where it shouldn't. Even if this is not the case, copper wires inside the hearing aid will start to corrode, making them unfit to carry any current.

If you notice that there is a bit of static noise whenever you hear a sound, the sound cuts out if there are loud noises, or your hearing comes and goes, your hearing aid components might be compromised by moisture or internal rust.

The best way to prevent this from happening is to use an active hearing device dehumidifier. Let's explain the differences between passive and active systems.

Passive Vs Active Hearing Aid Dehumidifiers
Passive hearing aid dehumidifiers work as a regular drying package analogous to your jar packed with silica gel sacks. These consist of plastic tubes with desiccant materials that help absorb moisture from the hearing aid, don't need electricity to operate and are quite portable. They´re a good last resort option, and it is sometimes advisable to have one handy in case you need to unexpectedly crash with friends. However, these band-aid solutions are not reliable as they offer no help when your device has been immersed in water. Moreover, the drying capsules lose their effectiveness gradually, and that usually happens well before you realize it is time to change them.

Active hearing aid dehumidifiers are powered and regularly use forced air systems for in-depth moisture elimination. With the use of small fans, they blow dry air into the components of your hearing aid quickly removing all moisture from its internal components. These act as electronic dryers, using heat as evaporation and sanitizing agent. Hearing aid dehumidifiers are especially good for zinc-air button batteries as the dry air effectively penetrates the small holes on top, removing all traces of moisture.

The best hearing aid dehumidifiers also leverage the power of ultraviolet radiation to kill germs and bacteria. Models like the Drymax UV dehumidifier and sanitizer combine all these elements in a convenient package. It uses Dry-Brik mini desiccants to absorb moisture, regulated temperature, and a mini fan for air circulation. It also applies a 90 second UV rays cycle to kill all bacteria for extra disinfection. The device is big enough to comfortably fit other hearing devices, such as tinnitus maskers, in-ear monitors for musicians, and wireless earphones. Yet, it is small enough to take with you on the road.

If you are looking for high-quality hearing aid dehumidifiers that can effectively keep your devices protected from moisture, bacteria, and corrosion, you can visit our hearing aid dehumidifiers page, or contact our sales representative to find out more about the best products for your needs.