Repairing Your Damaged or Broken Hearing Aid

Even if you take care of your hearing aids and keep up with regular maintenance, time takes its toll on all technology, and it’s possible that yours will eventually wear out through the course of normal use.

While replacing your damaged hearing aids may be the best answer in some cases — it gives you the opportunity to upgrade your technology — there are some common hearing aid repairs that you can try if you’re having problems with one or both of your devices. Try these quick fixes:

  • Replace your battery
  • Remove and reinsert your hearing aid
  • Clean your hearing aid using a cleaning tool
  • Replace the wax filter
  • Open and close the battery compartment
  • Make sure the battery compartment is free of obstructions
  • Check your input settings

The following videos may help you to change your wax guards. Not all hearing aids have the same wax guards. Please call us if you need help.

Changing a custom mold wax filter

Changing a RIC wax filter

How Much Do Hearing Aid Repairs Cost?

The cost to fix a broken or damaged hearing aid varies based on a few things: whether the hearing aid is still under warranty, how damaged the device is, and the cost of replacement parts for your unit.

If you bought your hearing system from Albrecht Audiology and it is still under warranty, your repair costs will likely be minimal — if there’s a charge at all. Hearing aids that are no longer under warranty or that were purchased elsewhere may cost more to fix. Cracked shells on custom-molded devices can be expensive, but in some cases these cracks can be repaired.

When Is Your Hearing Aid Beyond Repair?

It takes a hearing aid expert to properly diagnose a damaged hearing aid, but you can assume your hearing aids are beyond repair if:

  1. Your hearing aid is old. Repair costs increase for instruments that are more than five years old. If your hearing aids are beyond five years old, it may make more financial sense to get new hearing aids.
  2. The damage is visible. Although the damage may not be as bad as it looks, if your hearing aid has been stepped on or smashed in some other way, it may be unfixable.
  3. Your hearing aids have an extensive repair history. If your hearing aid has undergone multiple repairs for the same or different issues, it may be beyond saving. Much like a totaled car, a hearing aid needing that many fixes to be functional may simply no longer be worth the repair cost, and it may make more sense financially to invest in some new units.

A manufacturer’s warranty essentially states that the product should work for as long as the warranty lasts — nothing beyond that is guaranteed. Balancing the cost of repairs with the cost of a new system (and how it will benefit your life) can be tricky, but our practice can help you determine a proper course of action after diagnosing the damage and estimating repair costs.

If you’re having any trouble with your hearing aids, please contact us. We’re more than happy to help you get your devices back in working order, or to help you determine what options are available to fix your broken hearing aid.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are hearing aids easily broken?
Because of how small and light today’s hearing aids are — and because of how delicate the internal components are — any excessive force applied to the device may crack the outer shell, which is likely to compromise its function permanently. Internal components might be moisture resistant, but submersion can still permanently damage the unit.
Are hearing aids waterproof?
A few hearing aid brands are waterproof, but by and large, most hearing aids are not. Some internal components in some hearing aids are water resistant, meaning they’ll protect against humidity or condensation to a degree. Direct contact with liquid, or submersion, should be avoided.
Does insurance cover my hearing aid repairs?
Contact your insurer’s customer service line to find out for sure, but typically, insurance does not cover the cost of hearing aid repairs. Extended-coverage plans that protect against damage, however, are available for some hearing aids at Albrecht Audiology. Please call our office to learn more about protecting your investment in better hearing!
How do I know if my hearing aids are broken?
Only device diagnostics by a professional can determine that, but your devices might be broken if you have tried troubleshooting them using the tips above but are still experiencing difficulties getting them to work correctly.
What activities can damage hearing aids?
If you aren’t using hearing aids that are tightly secured, any intense physical activity might jar them loose. Swimming or showering without first removing your devices can also cause damage, as most hearing aids are not rated to withstand water.
Where can I repair my hearing aids?
Our practice can help diagnose the problem with your technology, and we will offer a repair if fixing the device is possible. In many cases, when you’ve purchased your technology at Albrecht Audiology, repairs for devices that are still under warranty carry a minimal charge, if any at all.