How Much Do Hearing Aid Repairs Cost?
Hearing aids will stop working for a variety of reasons. Whether it is an excess build-up of earwax or a circuit malfunction, there could be many avoidable and unforeseen situations that could damage your hearing aids. Most hearing aid users argue that your hearing aids are very likely to malfunction at least a few times during their lifespan of about five to seven years.
Luckily, most problems occurring with hearing aids can be solved at home using proper cleaning and a few tips from the manufacturer’s manual. There is a plethora of resources online that will help amateurs deal with some of their own hearing aid problems. However, in many cases the damage is too serious to be resolved at home and an audiologist will need to be involved.
Warranties
Hearing aids are a large investment, but they usually include after-sale services, such as fittings, adjustments, cleanings and warranties. Most hearing aids come with a two-year warranty right off the bat. This will cover you if something happens to your pair of hearing aids during the first couple of years. It should be noted, however, that this does not include mishandling and misuse.
Many times, the warranty will cover loss and damage. This means that your manufacturer will replace your hearing aids if they are lost or crushed in the first two years of purchase, though a deductible of several hundred dollars usually needs to be met first. However, not all warranties provide this type of stellar coverage and most only include mechanical defects, obliging your manufacturer to repair or replace your hearing aids free of charge within four to 10 business days.
If you have run out of your warranty period, hearing aid repair costs really depend on the extent of damage to the device. For something simple like cracked tubing or a tricky battery door, these repairs won’t be as high. But for things like water exposure or extreme physical damage, you’ll want to work with your audiologist to come to the right decision about repairs or replacement.
The good news is that hearing aid repairs come with a warranty of their own. After you get a repair, the work done will be covered typically for about six months to one year.
Irreparable Damage
In some cases, people are told that their hearing aids cannot be repaired and that the only option for them is to buy a new pair. This is generally only the case when the device has been crushed, damaged by water or requires costly repairs and is past its lifespan of five to seven years. Technology updates are constant in hearing aids, so replacing your old device could mean a better hearing experience for you. Talk more with your audiologist about what options are best for you and your particular situation.