You’ve bought your hearing aids and you are hearing clearly again for the first time in years. Then—out of the blue—your hearing aid stops working... What do you do? Is hearing aid repair possible?
The answer is yes. It is possible (in some cases) to repair your hearing aids. It may even be something as simple as regular cleaning and maintenance that’s needed.
What Should I Do First?
Unfortunately, people who wear hearing aids often don’t realize how important daily cleaning and maintenance is in keeping their hearing aids working properly.
If your tubes or domes become clogged with debris, which will occur eventually if they are not cleaned, the sound your hearing aid produces will be limited—or even blocked entirely—from entering your ear canal. It will seem as though your hearing aid isn’t working as well as it was before, or that it’s not working at all!
However, before seeking repair from the hearing aid manufacturer or at a hearing center, we’d recommend a first step of cleaning your hearing aid thoroughly.
Wipe the hearing aid down with a soft cloth. Remove the tubes and domes from your hearing devices and clean them carefully using the cleaning filament that’s included with your hearing aid (or replace the tubes and domes with new ones, which is recommended every 2-3 months).
Watch our video below for visual instructions on cleaning your hearing aid tubes:
My Hearing Aid Still Isn’t Working
Another basic step is making sure your hearing aid is at full charge. If you have a rechargeable hearing aid, charge it fully. If your hearing aid runs on batteries, replace the battery.
If your hearing aid still is not working, check the volume and adjust it to its highest volume. Remove the tube again and place the hearing aid in the palm of your hand. Hold it close to your ear.
If the hearing aid emits a high-pitched squeal, the hearing aid itself is working and the problem may be that the tube or dome needs to be replaced, or that the tube and/or dome were not cleaned thoroughly enough.
What Next?
If all your cleaning and troubleshooting have failed and your hearing aid is still not working, it may need to be repaired by a professional.
At Advanced Affordable Hearing, in-warranty repairs are free for our customers, and every hearing aid purchase includes a 6-month limited warranty. When purchasing, you also have the option of adding an extended warranty and damage protection to your order, which will cover your hearing aid for a full year.
If you need a hearing aid repair but you are out of warranty, repairs are available for our customers in most situations and often cost between $75 and $199 per hearing aid.
You can set up the repair service over the phone by calling 1 (800) 804-0434.
Should I Get a Repair?
Before paying for a repair, you may want to consider the current age of the hearing aid. If the hearing aid has already been in use for a long time, you may want to purchase a new hearing aid instead of choosing to repair the broken hearing aid.
Hearing aids generally only last for around 5 years, and your device may be reaching the end of its lifetime if you've had it for 3 years or more.
The decision to either pay for a repair or purchase a new hearing aid is ultimately up to you. However, we are always happy to give advice over the phone.
If you do need to repair or replace a hearing aid, remember the next time around that proper care can extend the life of your devices.
A common issue we see in hearing aids that are sent to us for repair is moisture damage. As with any electronic device, hearing aids should be protected from moisture as much as possible. Remember to take them out before bathing or swimming, be cautious with exposure to perspiration, and keep them out of the weather if it’s humid or raining!
You can also use a dry aid jar or box to help remove any moisture that has seeped into the devices.
If you are an Advanced Affordable Hearing customer and you have questions about troubleshooting or repairing your hearing device, please don’t hesitate to reach out at 1 (800) 804-0434.