How to Change Hearing Aid Batteries Safely

Most behind-the-ear hearing aids run on small zinc-air button batteries that last anywhere from three days to two weeks, depending on the size of the battery and how many hours a day you wear the aid. Newer rechargeable models skip the battery change altogether, but millions of people still use disposable batteries because the aids cost less and the batteries are sold at every drug store. Knowing how to change them quickly and safely is a skill worth learning, because a dead battery can leave you straining to hear a doctor, a grandchild, or the television at the worst moment.

Hearing aid batteries come in four sizes, and each size has a color-coded sticker on top. Size 10 batteries are yellow and the smallest. Size 312 batteries are brown and the most common. Size 13 batteries are orange. Size 675 batteries are blue and the largest. Your audiologist or the box that came with your aids tells you which size you need. Buy the right size, because the wrong size will not fit. Brands like Rayovac, Duracell, and Power One are all reliable. Store extras in a cool, dry place, and check the expiration date on the package, since old batteries lose power even when sealed.

The most important thing to know about zinc-air batteries is that the small sticker on top keeps them turned off. Once you peel the sticker off, oxygen reaches the zinc inside and starts the chemical reaction that makes power. From the moment you peel the sticker, the battery is alive whether it is in the aid or sitting on the table. So peel the sticker and wait sixty seconds before you put the battery in the aid. That short wait lets the air activate the battery fully and gives you a longer life out of each one. Do not peel the sticker until you are ready to use the battery.

Battery doors on hearing aids are tiny and tricky for hands that have arthritis or shaky fingers. Work over a soft towel on a flat table so a dropped battery does not roll under the couch. Keep the package within reach, and throw the dead battery into a small jar with a screw lid. Hearing aid batteries should never go in the regular trash, because they contain mercury or zinc that can leak. Drop the jar at a battery recycling station once a year. Best Buy, Lowes, and most county hazardous waste programs accept them for free. Most importantly, keep batteries far away from children and pets, because the small size makes them easy to swallow and the contents can cause serious harm.