How to Extend the Life of Hearing Aid Batteries

Reviewed by Dr. Porter on April 18, 2022

Extending the life of your hearing aid batteries can save time and money. Adding just a few extra days to the life of each battery adds up. You won’t save a fortune, but you just might save enough for an extra fill-up at the gas pump every year.

Here are seven ways you can extend the life of hearing aid batteries.

1. Don’t remove the tab until you are ready to use your batteries

Hearing aid batteries generate power from the chemical reaction of the zinc in the battery with oxygen in the air. It is a chemical reaction analogous to rusting, only with zinc, instead of iron. The battery generates power only as long as there continues to be elemental zinc that has not yet reacted with oxygen,

The oxidation of the zinc in your hearing aid batteries begins as soon as you remove the plastic tab that covers the small holes at the top.

Removing the plastic barrier lets air come in and start reacting with the zinc inside.

It doesn’t do any good to put the tab back on the battery once you have removed it. This just traps air inside the battery that continues the oxidation process.

Never remove the tab on a battery unless you intend to start using it right away. Getting into the habit of leaving the tab in place until you are ready to put it in your hearing aid extends its life.

2. Store your batteries in a cool, dry place, at room temperature

You may have heard that storing your batteries in the freezer helps them last longer.

Actually, putting hearing aid batteries in the freezer or the fridge has the opposite effect.

You have probably noticed the fog of water vapor that comes out of your freezer when you open the door.

The humidity of the cooler section isn’t as noticeable because of the lower temperature difference, but there is even more moisture in the cooler section of your fridge than there is in the freezer.

The plastic tab that keeps air out of your hearing aid batteries is not designed to keep water out, too.

Tiny amounts of dampness will deplete your hearing aid batteries just as fast as, or faster than, opening the tab and leaving the battery out in room air.

3. Buy a hearing aid dehumidifier from Harbor Audiology

If you invest in a hearing aid dehumidifier, your batteries will last longer.

They will be more dependable, so you will be less likely to have to replace them at inconvenient moments. A hearing aid dehumidifier can pay for itself in a year or two.

You store your hearing aids in the dehumidifier overnight when you are not using them.

The benefits of hearing aid dehumidifiers are especially noticeable in humid climates.

4. Wash and dry your hands before changing your hearing aid batteries

Skin oils, dirt, and grime collect moisture that is destructive to your hearing aid batteries and to the hearing aids themselves.

That’s why it is always important to wash and dry your hands before you change your hearing aid batteries.

5. Take out your hearing aid batteries if you won’t be using your hearing aids for 12 hours or more

No matter how careful you are with your hearing aid batteries, some moisture will find its way inside your hearing aid.

Taking out your hearing aid batteries and storing them in a dry place, preferably in your dehumidifier, prolongs the life of your batteries and of your hearing aids.

6. Leave the hearing aid battery door open when you are not using your hearing aid

When you don’t need to use your hearing aid, turn it off and open the battery door.

This reduces power drain and minimizes corrosion. However, don’t open the battery door to your hearing aid and then store it in the bathroom.

High-humidity rooms in your home are never a good place to store your hearing aids. It is best to keep them in a dehumidifier.

7. Follow the five-minute rule

Here is a way to get up to three days longer life from every hearing aid battery.

Once you take the plastic tab off your hearing aid battery, wait five minutes before putting it in your hearing aid.

This lets it fill up completely with air, so you get maximum performance from the battery.

It is always a good idea to stock up on hearing aid batteries when you have a checkup at Harbor Audiology.

If you buy just a year’s supply at a time, you will always get the longest battery and the greatest value from your purchase.

Your hearing specialists at Harbor Audiology can provide you with the hearing care you need to achieve the best hearing possible.

We can help you choose the best of the most advanced hearing aids, and then we work with you to program them for the best hearing correction possible.

Harbor Audiology is experienced in filing for VA benefits, and we work with all major insurance plans.

We are open most evenings and Saturdays. Harbor Audiology has offices in Tacoma, Gig Harbor, Silverdale, Sequim, Port Angeles, and Federal Way.

Request your appointment online today!

Categorised in: Hearing Aid Batteries