Why filter the CPAP air?

[JeffL]

I know it blocks some of the crud in the air, but it's the same air we breath when we're awake. We don't walk around with dust masks during our waking hours... well, most of us don't.

[ameriken]

True, but the air we breathe is not being forced down our windpipes into our lungs at a high rate of pressure.

The cilia protects us during normal breating and not high pressures.

[BlackSpinner]

I know it blocks some of the crud in the air, but it's the same air we breath when we're awake. We don't walk around with dust masks during our waking hours... well, most of us don't.

It is for the machine, not you. Keeps the motor running longer. We get the benefit of it too, breathing clean air at night. If you have allergies it make a big difference.

[LSAT]

Also...the CPAP is a sensitive machine that is expected to work 365 nights a year for 5+ years. Keeping the insides clean is important.
Don't you filter your furnace??

[kempo]

If you have any fans in your home such as ceiling fans take a look at the blades. They get dirty pushing air in your home. I don't know where all that comes from but it's in every home. Do you want the inside of your cpap looking like the filter on your central heating and cooling unit?

[JeffL]

Now that you say it, protecting the machine does makes sense. I try to remember to open my PC and remove the dust bunnies every 6 months. It does get rather nasty in there.

[archangle]

True, but the air we breathe is not being forced down our windpipes into our lungs at a high rate of pressure.

The cilia protects us during normal breating and not high pressures.

Except for the effect of not having your airway cut off periodically due to apnea, the airflow in your lungs and airway will be about the same with or without CPAP. The pressure isn't enough to change the density of the air, the speed of the airflow, or the amount of air you inhale with each breath that much. A CPAP user should have airflow roughly the same as a non apneac.

The filters are to keep dust, molds, germs, and other gunk from building up in the machine, the hose, the mask, and the water tank. Filtering out dust and allergens is an added bonus.

[billbolton]

True, but the air we breathe is not being forced down our windpipes into our lungs at a high rate of pressure.

Its not with xPAP treatment either!

~10 cms H20 = ~0.142 psi

CPAP treatment "pressure" is quite low

Cheers,

Bill