What Maintenance Costs Should You Expect For Portable Hearing Loops?

Whether you’re looking after an induction loop long-term or are completely new to the idea of an induction loop amplifier, it really pays to know the costs should you require maintenance. Let’s take a look at what you need to know.

Introduction to Portable Loop Maintenance Costs Vs. Fixed Systems

Induction loop systems have quickly become essential for hearing aid users. They allow each hearing aid user to rest assured that – whether they are working in a busy building or simply out at dinner with their loved ones – they can still hear perfectly well without having to deal with all of the background noise, too.

However, in order to keep new equipment in good working order, it needs to be maintained.

Considering the costs of portable loop maintenance versus fixed systems should be like when assessing a new addition to a business – whether it’s a vehicle, computer equipment or a portable hearing loop system – you won’t restrict the cost-benefit analysis of your investment to the up-front cost alone, you’ll also think about ongoing maintenance and repair costs.

Maintenance of a hearing loop system can vary, with fixed loop systems requiring a greater regular investment than a portable one.

In terms of maintenance costs for a portable hearing loop system, you can expect minimal expenditure and maximum uptime, which is good for everyone.

Fixed System Maintenance Costs

If a fixed hearing loop system is in place, maintenance is often not an easy or cheap affair.

Because the system is fully part of the room – including extensive cabling – maintenance of a fixed system should be carried out by dedicated specialists.

Part of the expense of maintaining a fixed hearing loop derives from the fact that a technician will have to travel to the business and, if it’s far enough away, stays overnight and spend a full day on-site conducting maintenance checks.

The more rooms you have with a fixed system that requires maintenance, the longer and more costly the job will be.

In the case of dedicated, closed-loop areas, maintenance is even more complex as it involves checking extensive cabling work that sits in a specific honeycomb configuration. Maintenance can  mean rooms will be out of action for the duration, and there will be a disruption to your business’s day-to-day activity.

Overall, maintenance of a fixed hearing loop system can be  a costly undertaking in terms of both money and time, with the process repeated at regular intervals and far more intensive than a portable loop maintenance requirement.

Portable Loop Maintenance Costs

While maintenance of a fixed hearing loop system can be costly and time-consuming, a portable hearing loop system offers the exact opposite experience.

In terms of its installation, a portable hearing loop system is quick and easy to get in place and up and running.

This theme carries over to the maintenance regime of the system.

One of the main issues you have to worry about in terms of maintenance is whether or not the components that make up the system are fully charged.

This takes two to three hours and is likely to be the only aspect of upkeep that you need to concern yourself with when considering portable loop maintenance. If you do want or require a professional maintenance service, the costs are negligible – especially when compared with those of a fixed hearing loop system.

At the same time, maintenance checks for a portable hearing loop system are very quick, non-invasive, and non-disruptive to your daily operations.  They can even be carried out by your own trained personnel on site.

So this means a fit-for-purpose hearing loop system that is quick and easy to install, cheap to maintain, and, if taken care of, can  be used for many years without any issues.

Do it Yourself

One of the major benefits of a plug-and-play portable hearing loop system versus a fixed loop is that it allows you to conduct your own maintenance. This is simply not possible with a fixed hearing loop system.

To do it yourself, you’ll need to purchase a loop listener for around £55 to assess the quality of your setup and adjust it as needed.

This ease of use and upkeep is made possible by the fact that a portable hearing loop system is modular and totally accessible.

If something isn’t working as it should, chances are that a battery has simply run down.

If you really do need to bring in a professional, the costs are low, and the process is quick. Contrast this with a fixed loop system, and it’s often impossible to know where to start.

Much of the system is either inaccessible, or it’s not advised to attempt to maintain it yourself.

With this being said, there are a number of basic checks you can carry out yourself to test your fixed hearing loop before calling the  professionals , which could get your system back up and running  without the need for a specialised engineer.

In summary, It can be easy to focus on the buy price and see that as the ultimate indicator of which system to choose, but this could be  a false saving.  It is important to choose the hearing loop most suitable to your needs, while taking into consideration ongoing maintenance costs which, for a portable system, are far less than that of a fixed system

Download our guide to portable loop maintenance right here, or get in touch with us to find out more.

Call 0114 2357 717 or email us at info@hearingloop.co.uk to get connected to one of our hearing loop experts.