What If You’re Told Your Hearing Aid Can’t Be Repaired?

In the course of everyday life, accidents happen and hearing aids are sometimes the victims. If you’ve damaged your hearing aid in some way, don’t worry – a hearing healthcare professional can provide minor adjustments, repairs and replacement parts right in the office, and you’ll quickly be on your way. If it’s a more serious problem, the hearing aid will be sent out to the manufacturer, and you’ll still only have to wait about 10 days. But what happens when even they say it’s not repairable? Do you go ahead with the replacement, or is there another option?

Independent labs may be an alternative

Independent hearing aid repair labs have been increasing in recent years. One of their greatest selling points is that they specialize in repairing lost causes. For those looking at an expensive replacement (ranging into thousands of dollars), private repair labs can offer a more affordable alternative. Although they don’t have direct ties to hearing health care professionals, many are established and respected in the hearing instrument field.

Before deciding on this option, it’s important to check into two things: the lab’s reputation and the entire cost of repair. You can find feedback about specific repair labs from hearing health care professionals who interact with patients have used them, online reviews and personal referrals. The Better Business Bureau is another great resource for making sure a repair lab is legitimate. Secondly, even if a lab offers to repair your hearing aid for much less than the cost of replacement, this doesn’t always mean it’s a good deal. You also need to factor in the following costs:

• Insuring the hearing aid against damage during shipment (most labs only cover any damages that occur after it has arrived)
• Miscellaneous fees for shipment itself and any additional services the lab provides

Consider a replacement

Lastly, consider the age of your hearing aid. Is its value worth the price of an expensive repair, whether or not it is truly repairable? Are you due for a new device? Hearing technology is constantly evolving; if your device is more than four years old it’s probably out-of-date.

Private labs are a good option to keep in mind, but hearing health care professionals know your hearing – not just your hearing instruments – better than anyone in the field.