How often to replace the hose

Personally, I think that if the hose "looks" clean, doesn't smell and isn't leaking that I will just leave it alone. As PAP therapy is a chronic nightly treatment, you will see I fully advocate and practice, if possible, that you should always "have a spare" of what you can. At this point I have several spare hoses and try to give my personal friends a spare (new still in the bag) when they first start treatment. A torn hose is not good for the treatment! I have been using my current hose now for about a year and the only reason that I switched was that I was able to get my DME to get me one of the Respironic "White" (boy are they flexible) hoses. Personally, I use an insulating hose cover and I think that it helps to protect the hose from physical damage.

As insurance,I take my hose out of the insulating cover about once a month and look to make sure that it still looks clean doesn't look torn or worn. Then I put a spare cover back on the hose and hand wash the cover, head gear, sealing flap and mask frame that I was using and use my spare set. When I travel, I wash the hose cover, humidifier tank, mask, head gear and use use my spares. That way everything can dry on its own schedule. Early on I found out that it was very difficult to wash out the actual hose and actually get it to dry so, I don't mess with the hose but, I haven't had any issues (that I know of yet--knock on wood).

Slightly off topic but you know, lets take this to the extreme--I don't think that I have heard of anyone who regularly cleans the "interface" between the blower and the humidifier or the inner workings of the blower unit itself. I would think that there is at least some interaction (be it low and only when the blower is actually switched off) between the hose/humidifier and the blower after you turn the unit off. By that I mean that warm moist air would leach back into the blower and create a moisturized "nice dark environment" for about 16 hours a day. I would bet that the average "Hoser" uses their xPAP for years without getting the inner workings of the blower cleaned. Have any of you ever looked at a fan, or its shroud or duct works that has been running for years? Typically even "filtered" fan systems could use a good cleaning every once and a while.

I have been a CPAP/BiPAP patient for about 21 years. My experience has been that a hose lasts a long time-Typically, I use a hose for two orthree years. I have had hoses eventually crack apart at the flex point at the machine or mask. As regards cleaning, I have devised a scrubber from a section of aluminum rod slitted at one end with a Dremel tool to retain a good sized piece of nylon net. This allows me to thoroughly scrub the inside of the tubing with a soap or detergent-I've been using PineSol for over a year now. Actually the hose always looks clean, but my machine's exhalation port is located where the humidifier couples to the machine port, so I figure my hose does get contaminated from my exhalation.

The Duke

TheDuke wrote: This allows me to thoroughly scrub the inside of the tubing with a soap or detergent-I've been using PineSol for over a year now.

From the material safety data sheet:

Eye irritant. May cause skin irritation. Avoid contact with food.
SKIN CONTACT: Wash skin with water. If irritation persists, call a physician.
INHALATION: Remove to fresh air. If breathing problems develop, call a physician.
Hygienic Practices: Wash hands after direct contact. Do not wear product contaminated
clothing for prolonged periods.
Engineering Controls: Use local exhaust to minimize exposure to product
mist.
Personal Protective Equipment: Wear safety glasses. Wear rubber or
neoprene gloves if there is the potential for repeated or prolonged skin
contact.