CPAP machine filter: Necessary or just another revenue stream?

[chunkyfrog]

Oddly enough, on filters, the Medicare allowable is often more than the MSRP.
Go figure.

[lynninnj]

Oddly enough, on filters, the Medicare allowable is often more than the MSRP.
Go figure.

surprising

What’s a shame is it probably costs more to be delivered/picked up than the cost.

[clownbell]

What's the big deal?? Filters are cheap if purchased on Ama***, the site that used to sell books but now has millions of items in its inventory. Presumably you change air filters in your car and your home furnace. This is really no different. And to reiterate, they are cheap if purchased in bulk (like 50).

We "think" we have a clean home and live in a clean environment. But we put in a portable air purifier and I am AMAZED how much junk is captured in the filter. So put me down as an advocate. Did I mention they are cheap?

[ejbpesca]

I replace my filter each month. I have severe allergies and will take all the filtered air I can get. What I don't understand is how clean the used filters look as if they don't filter. My first two machines used about a 3/4" x 2" white filter under a gray foam filter that held it in place. Those obviously needed replacement each month due to their turning from bright white to dark gray. My current AirSense 10 uses a larger area filter with no foam pre filter. About 2" x 3". There is no apparent darkening to them after a month of service. ?? They look as clean coming out as going in. The air has not improved in the room. I have two air filtering devices running in the room. The filters in both of them show the junk they pull from the air as did the older cpap filters. It only takes a few hours for those to show captured matter from the air. I wonder why the AirSense filters remain white, new looking even after a month of filtering the same air.

[palerider]

I replace my filter each month. I have severe allergies and will take all the filtered air I can get. What I don't understand is how clean the used filters look as if they don't filter. My first two machines used about a 3/4" x 2" white filter under a gray foam filter that held it in place. Those obviously needed replacement each month due to their turning from bright white to dark gray. My current AirSense 10 uses a larger area filter with no foam pre filter. About 2" x 3". There is no apparent darkening to them after a month of service. ?? They look as clean coming out as going in.

Because of the larger area of the filter, the Resmed filters don't need to be replaced as often, the clinical manual for the Resmed machines says to replace the filters every six months "or as needed".

[lazarus]

Although for the hypoallergenic filters:

Important Tips

Replacement Schedule

Disposable Hypoallergenic Filters for the AirSense and AirCurve series machines should be replaced each month, or when the filter begins to look discolored.

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/resmed ... ric-6-pack (then click on "Important Tips")

https://shop.resmed.com/GB/en/cpap-acce ... es/p/36857

[Thumper1947]

A simple thing you can do if the filter looks white and clean is remove it from the machine, take it outside and hold it in one hand and flick it hard with the middle finger of your other hand. If it's light out and you have a darkish background you will see captured dust flying out of the filter. It might extend the useful life of the filter and if nothing else, it rids the filter of a lot of dust.
Thumper

[ozij]

I replace my filter each month. I have severe allergies and will take all the filtered air I can get. What I don't understand is how clean the used filters look as if they don't filter. My first two machines used about a 3/4" x 2" white filter under a gray foam filter that held it in place. Those obviously needed replacement each month due to their turning from bright white to dark gray. My current AirSense 10 uses a larger area filter with no foam pre filter. About 2" x 3". There is no apparent darkening to them after a month of service. ?? They look as clean coming out as going in. The air has not improved in the room. I have two air filtering devices running in the room. The filters in both of them show the junk they pull from the air as did the older cpap filters. It only takes a few hours for those to show captured matter from the air. I wonder why the AirSense filters remain white, new looking even after a month of filtering the same air.

At least recently, you're at lower pressures, which equals less air to filter and less praticles to capture.

[Coatimundi]

I replace when the signal flashes on my machine to do so. Every time, the filter has looked yucky when I take it out to replace it. When I am in different climates the filter signal will take longer to show up and not look quite as bad as in the usual place I live.

[chunkyfrog]

A simple thing you can do if the filter looks white and clean is remove it from the machine, take it outside and hold it in one hand and flick it hard with the middle finger of your other hand. If it's light out and you have a darkish background you will see captured dust flying out of the filter. It might extend the useful life of the filter and if nothing else, it rids the filter of a lot of dust.
Thumper

Be sure to mark the outside of the filter; so when you replace it,
the dirty side will not expel dust into your cpap.