CPAP Machine - Care and Maintenance
If you have sleep apnea, you know that your CPAP machine is the only tool that will determine if you will spend your day cranky and sleepy or focused and cheerful. This is why you need to wear it every night. This is also a good reason why you should take care of your CPAP machine.
These machines last, on average, 12 to 14 months. But if properly taken care of, the machine can last several years. And since they're not exactly the cheapest equipment there is, you might want to make sure that they serve you for a good number of years. The following are great tips that will help you care for and maintain the optimal performance of your machine:
Proper Cleaning Schedule
It is important to wipe the whole mask and the external part of the machine every day. Other parts of the machine, however, need not be cleaned daily. The tubing, cushion, mask frame, and other parts will have to be cleaned once a week. The same is true for the filters of the machine. If the filter is the non-disposable type, you will have to replace it every six months. The disposable filters must be replaced when they have turned dark. Moreover, if you're using a rental machine, you might have installed bacterial filters, too. These filters must be replaced every 10 to 14 days.
Proper Cleaning Process
The mask, its frame, and the cushion can be handwashed with warm soapy water. Use a detergent that is mild. You should also avoid using very strong cleaning agents, such as bleach, alcohol, solutions with chlorine, and other household cleaners. After washing these parts, make sure the you let them air dry. They should also never be dried under direct sunlight. Before putting them back together, make sure that they are not damaged.
It is also possible to use the dishwasher when washing these parts of the CPAP machine. Again, it it best to use a mild detergent and to air dry the parts away from direct sunlight. When you assemble the parts that you have cleaned, you must be careful so as not to damage them.
You can also wash the tubing in warm soapy water. Before putting it back on again, you must make sure that it has no holes or splits. Any damaged part that you see must be replaced right away.
As for the filters of the CPAP machine, cleaning them once a week is also important. These foam filters make sure that you do not inhale dust and pollens in the air. You can wash the foam with mild detergent and squeeze it under running water until it becomes light-colored again. If your machine does not have disposable filters, you would still need to get rid of them after half a year.
There are machines with disposable filters and these have to be replaced after 3 months. If you see them start to get dark in color, you'll have to replace them right away. This ensures that you're breathing only clean air while you are asleep.
CPAP Clinic - healthcare at your home
We serve Greater Toronto Area in Canada.
Contact: 1-877-430-CPAP(2727) or info@CPAPClinic.ca
Questions and Answers
Article Tags:
cpap machine in toronto
Auto-PAP automatically titrates or adjusts the air pressure delivered for each breath to the minimum level required to keep the airway open. This is in stark contrast and indeed a major progression to the traditional machines which are adjusted manually based on an observation of the patient's sleep pattern.
Activa medical.com IS ONLY authorized distributor for all the major CPAP / BiPAP / APAP machines and CPAP supplies, and one of the most trusted names in sleep.
Fifty years ago, no one would believe you if you told them that one day, sleep apnea sufferers would be able to travel anytime, anywhere with a CPAP machine in tow. Today, advances in design and technology have made the equipment so travel-friendly you can take yours with you wherever...
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by a pause in breathing. This pause in breathing is involuntary - and the person is not even aware that at one moment in time, he forgot to breathe. This breathing abnormality is caused by two things - and such a cause determines the...
So you or a family member is diagnosed with Obtrusive Sleep Apnea and you are worried that you or they would have problems breathing while you or they slept. Why worry when there are CPAP machines to help alleviate such problems. Goodbye sleep disorder, hello sleep and rest. Sleep Disorders and...
If you are one of those people who take sleep apnea for granted, be warned. When the body undergoes frequent episodes of oxygen deprivation during sleep, the likelihood of risking your heart's health is high. Avert this dread disaster with use of the CPAP machine in conjunction with the CPAP...
An in depth look at the new MMORPG from Blizzard Entertainment known as Diablo III, a long awaited release for Diablo fans.
Most small businesses take advantage of computer technology, and it certainly can make things a lot easier for everyone within the business when you do so properly. Unfortunately, there are also a number of different problems that can occur as a result of the technology that you are using.
Copying ipod to computer is easy. For more information on how read this article.
Online training software has found its place in almost all the offices and organizations. It can be used to train employees over the net
According to leading research carried out by Gartner, the number of PCs distributed throughout the first quarter of 2012 went up by 1.9% which was better than analysts predicted.
If you are one of those people who take sleep apnea for granted, be warned. When the body undergoes frequent episodes of oxygen deprivation during sleep, the likelihood of risking your heart's health is high. Avert this dread disaster with use of the CPAP machine in conjunction with the CPAP...
Sleeping is a wonderful activity and most of us can only do it if we're comfortable. You will sleep better on a soft bed than on a cold, hard floor. You will sleep better with pillows than just a bunch of folded clothes. Comfort is important if you want to...
Sleep apnea is a terrible condition. It is a sleep disorder characterized by a halt in breathing while a person is asleep. Sometimes, some people will not breathe for at least 10 seconds while they're sleeping. This can happen many times during the night. Many people suffer from this disease, without...
As many of you know, there are many benefits to leasing properties, be it of the personal or the real property kind. This is also true when you rent CPAP machines. What Basically, when you rent CPAP machines, you can avail of the benefits of the heart of sleep apnea therapy without...
If you are new to the world of CPAP nasal masks, you might find the idea of sleeping with something on your nose quite disturbing. Actually, nasal masks for sleep apnea treatment is prescribed for first time users to prevent the feeling of claustrophobia, and much more. The Advantages of the...
Discuss this Article
