DreamStation filters

Hi everybody!

Another question: when they gave me the CPAP machine (PR dreamstation) it came with 12 darkish blue filters.
I was told that I needed to replace them once a month.
Now reading online, it seems like the dark blue filters are reusable, and there should be light blue ones (fine or ultra fine?) on top of them. I asked the local office about this and they said that it was some kind of new filter?
But it's really confusing me does anybody have more information about this? Google only shows the reusable dark blue/disposable light blue filters.

Contact Phillips... https://www.usa.philips.com/healthcare/about/contact

I have a Dreamstation, and there are two filters: the dark blue/foam one is reusable. It is recommended that you rinse it once a week, and replace it after 6 months. The light blue/paper one should be replaced twice a month. Note that some people go longer between replacements.

I forgot to mention that the light blue filter hooks onto the dark blue filter before it goes into the machine. Look at yours again and see if you really have two each.

Thank you Bertha!

Definitely only got half of the filters then, and was throwing away reusable filters... yay!
(and a true, real yay for this forum and all the kind people here!)

Shnorky wrote:Thank you Bertha!

Definitely only got half of the filters then, and was throwing away reusable filters... yay!
(and a true, real yay for this forum and all the kind people here!)

Glad to be of service.

The dark blue filter can be washed, but it needs to be replaced eventually. The light blue filter (might also be gray) should be replaced when it is no longer white. This can vary depending on your locality, your specific residence, smoking (which I do not condone), and traveling.

[quote=DH]The dark blue filter can be washed, but it needs to be replaced eventually. The light blue filter (might also be gray) should be replaced when it is no longer white. This can vary depending on your locality, your specific residence, smoking (which I do not condone), and traveling.[/quote]

My two cats (one a long-hair champion shedder ) make it necessary to change my fine filter every 3 weeks.

Took me a little while to figure this out, too. At first I thought the light blue filters (I got a half dozen or so with my kit) were a replacement for the dark blue one that was already installed, but I couldn't figure out how to make them fit in there. Then I broke down and RTFM (Read The Fine Manual) and realized that the two filters snap together.

I'm just wondering if eventually I can get away with using just the dark blue one, washing it from time to time and replacing it when necessary, without necessarily using the light blue one, too. I'm in a smoke-free environment which isn't particularly dusty, and heck, I was using just the dark blue one for nearly three months, until last week when I added the light blue one.

Sheepish wrote:I'm just wondering if eventually I can get away with using just the dark blue one, washing it from time to time and replacing it when necessary, without necessarily using the light blue one, too. I'm in a smoke-free environment which isn't particularly dusty, and heck, I was using just the dark blue one for nearly three months, until last week when I added the light blue one.

It all depends on your environment, which can be changeable. Do you have allergies to consider; do you live near a busy road (car exhaust, dust thrown up from passing traffic, etc)? The dark blue filter keeps out small pollutants, the light blue one keeps out tiny ones. I wash the dark blue one weekly. I change out the light blue one on average every 6 weeks, except recently--with wildfire smoke stagnant in the air for 12 days (at air quality health risk value 7), that's how long it took the newly-installed fine filter to become black with particulate matter at 2.5 nanometers (micrometers) in size.

Jean

Soothest Sleep wrote:

Sheepish wrote:I'm just wondering if eventually I can get away with using just the dark blue one, washing it from time to time and replacing it when necessary, without necessarily using the light blue one, too. I'm in a smoke-free environment which isn't particularly dusty, and heck, I was using just the dark blue one for nearly three months, until last week when I added the light blue one.

It all depends on your environment, which can be changeable. Do you have allergies to consider; do you live near a busy road (car exhaust, dust thrown up from passing traffic, etc)? The dark blue filter keeps out small pollutants, the light blue one keeps out tiny ones. I wash the dark blue one weekly. I change out the light blue one on average every 6 weeks, except recently--with wildfire smoke stagnant in the air for 12 days (at air quality health risk value 7), that's how long it took the newly-installed fine filter to become black with particulate matter at 2.5 nanometers (micrometers) in size.

Jean

It's hay fever season these days, so I think I'll keep using the light blue filters until it ends, and when environmental air quality goes down. Perhaps coincidentally, perhaps not, I haven't had any hay fever symptoms at all so far, whereas in previous years without the CPAP machine I would get them. Perhaps an added advantage of breathing all night through a filtered source of air?

But allergies and low air quality aside, does everyone use the light blue filters all the time? Are there people who use just the dark blue ones?

By the way, love the Keats quote.

Sheepish wrote: It's hay fever season these days, so I think I'll keep using the light blue filters until it ends, and when environmental air quality goes down. Perhaps coincidentally, perhaps not, I haven't had any hay fever symptoms at all so far, whereas in previous years without the CPAP machine I would get them. Perhaps an added advantage of breathing all night through a filtered source of air?

But allergies and low air quality aside, does everyone use the light blue filters all the time? Are there people who use just the dark blue ones?

Hi Sheepish. I use the light blue filters all the time, and I have similarly noticed a reduction in hay fever symptoms since I started using XPAP. I also haven't had a bad cold in the year and a half since I started, a big change from the 2-3 a year I had before.

Bertha deBlues wrote:

Sheepish wrote: It's hay fever season these days, so I think I'll keep using the light blue filters until it ends, and when environmental air quality goes down. Perhaps coincidentally, perhaps not, I haven't had any hay fever symptoms at all so far, whereas in previous years without the CPAP machine I would get them. Perhaps an added advantage of breathing all night through a filtered source of air?

But allergies and low air quality aside, does everyone use the light blue filters all the time? Are there people who use just the dark blue ones?

Hi Sheepish. I use the light blue filters all the time, and I have similarly noticed a reduction in hay fever symptoms since I started using XPAP. I also haven't had a bad cold in the year and a half since I started, a big change from the 2-3 a year I had before.

Hi Bertha deBlues. Well that's good to hear, too. I'm also prone to frequent colds, especially in the winter, so I look forward to seeing what effect using my machine might have on reducing their frequency or their severity.