Your hearing aids are technologically advanced tools that help you communicate with the world. Like many other electronic devices, the lifespan of your hearing aids can change depending on outside factors. One such factor is the relative humidity in your environment.[1]
Sweat, accidental splashes or dense Midwest humidity can lead to moisture buildup inside your hearing aids. Over time, that moisture can shorten the lifespan and degrade the sound quality of your devices. Feedback, crackling or low volume are a few examples of poor sound quality.
In addition to nightly cleaning, we recommend a clean and check appointment every six months. During your clean and check appointment, we’ll use our advanced Redux dryer to remove hidden moisture that can restore clearer sound, improve performance and even help prevent unnecessary repairs.
Let’s look at what makes the Redux system so special and why its patented technology is crucial to hearing aid care.
What Makes the Redux Dryer Special?
Hearing aids are constantly evolving, and so are the tools we use to care for them. You might have heard of or used an electric hearing aid dryer or drying jar. These tools remove daily moisture from your devices, helping them function well between service appointments. The Redux dryer is a more advanced and stunningly more effective version of these home tools; it combines patented vacuum drying and humidity level detection to ferret out hidden moisture and achieve the best results.
Vacuum Drying
The Redux dryer uses vacuum drying to remove moisture buildup from your hearing aids. The vacuum dryer works by lowering the boiling point of water. When water is at a lower boiling point, it can evaporate at lower temperatures, allowing the system to remove moisture without damaging the delicate components of your devices. The lower temperature the dryer offers is especially helpful for rechargeable hearing aids with lithium-ion batteries that can’t endure high heat.
Humidity Level Detector
The system also comes with a humidity level detector—a significant advantage over regular hearing aid dryers. The Redux system generates a moisture value in microliters (uL) that indicates just how much moisture was extracted from the devices each time we run them through the system.
Because no two hearing aids have the same moisture content, each device requires different drying times. That’s where the Redux system shines. As the cycle runs, the system continually monitors moisture levels and keeps drying until it detects that 100% of the moisture has been removed.
Schedule Your Service Appointment
Regularly removing moisture from your hearing aids is one of the simplest and most effective ways to extend their lifespan and ensure clear sound every day. The Redux system has been successful in restoring function in-house for some hearing aids that would have otherwise been sent out for repair through the manufacturer.
For more information on caring for your devices or to schedule a clean and check appointment with one of our specialists, contact Midwest Hearing today.
[1] Agnew, J. (1999). Temperature and relative humidity inside an ITE hearing instrument. The Hearing Review, 6(8), 28–34, 73. https://hearingreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Agnew_TempRHinITEs_Aug1999HR.pdf