Is the warm weather getting you excited to get down to the water or unmoor the boat? Us, too! Your beach day will be made even better with hearing aids, as you’ll be able to fully enjoy the sounds of the beach: the waves, the seagulls and the children laughing. That said, you may need to take some extra precautions to keep your devices safe.
Water and Sand
The two biggest hazards to your devices are water and sand. If your hearing aids come into contact with either of these, it can cause some major damage.
Water is quite abundant on the beach, and if you’re out on the boat, it’s easy to get splashed. You probably already know not to get your hearing aids wet if you can help it. Water can damage the internal circuitry, hurt the microphone and corrode the battery.
You also need to watch out for sand. Sand can clog the microphone, speaker, and vent, and it can also get stuck in other nooks and crannies in the hearing aid shell. It can even scratch the exterior. And it might be easier to get sand in your hearing aids than you think, as sand gets tracked along towels, blown by the wind and stuck to hands and fingers.
How to Protect Your Devices
This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t wear your hearing aids to the beach or on the boat. As we said above, your hearing aids will enhance your day’s experiences and make it ten times more enjoyable. Here are some strategies you can use to keep your devices safe while still catching the sound of the waves.
- Use protective covers. Hearing aid covers, sleeves, and sweatbands are available to provide extra protection from the elements.
- Don’t touch your hearing aids with sandy hands. Sand sticks to hands a little too well sometimes. Rinse it off thoroughly before you touch your hearing aids for any reason.
- Take your hearing aids out if you’re going in the water. You never know when an errant wave or overly enthusiastic child could splash you, so take your hearing aids out if you’re going on the boat or in the water, even if you’ll only be wading up to your ankles.
- Store them safely. If you do take your hearing aids out, put them in a hearing aid case and stow them somewhere safe. Don’t set them down on your towel or the boat seat, as these surfaces could be sandy and open them up to getting stepped on or lost.
- Do a full cleaning routine when you get home. Thoroughly clean your hearing aids when you get home to wash off any sand or grit and check the microphone, vents and ports for any sign of sand. Once you’re satisfied you’ve gotten all the sand off, use a hearing aid dryer or dehumidifier to remove any moisture that may have built up.
Signs of Sand or Moisture Damage
If you notice any changes to sound quality after returning home from your outing, consider booking a repair and service appointment for your devices. Some signs include:
- Distorted sound quality, such as sounding “tinny” or “echoey”
- Muffled sound
- Volume issues, such as sounding too quiet even when the volume is turned up
- Power issues, such as shorter battery life or suddenly powering down
- Not turning on
If you notice any of these, give us a call at Hearing Services of Santa Barbara so we can help you get them working again.
We hope you have a safe and fun trip to the beach and enjoy your time on the boat. Call us if you have any questions about keeping your devices safe.