CPAPtalk.com

palerider wrote:

Wulfman... wrote:

tan wrote: Obviously, being asleep makes you less capable to compensate for various obstructions caused by adversary environmental agents such dust, bacteria, mold, etc.

In my opinion, that's a big fallacy.

well, personally I find it a lot harder to blow my nose in my sleep than when awake...

yeah, this is the idea. Or, for instance, I don't have problems with dry mouth while awake. Or, for instance, I can breathe through my nose while awake without much difficulty despite quite not ideal environment. Consciously, I have much more control and capability to adapt to obstructions in my airways.

One bonus I found to washing mask or hose just before bedtime...I bought Dove dish soap, but it's not perfume free. I LIKE the scent...so using it before bed gives me a little extra humidity AND aromatherapy.

tan wrote: Otherwise, why would palerider find an outlet filter helping his allergies?

I don't have any well documented self studies or stuff, but the after filter does collect fine crud that makes it through the hypoallergenic filter on the s9, so I figure it helps... and hey, I'll take all the placebo affect I can get

Just a hint....When you do decide to change a hose, take a scissors and cut the hose from end to end and use it to hide cords...especially around your computer where you may have several cords hanging. Works great!

New postby JimP on Mon Nov 24, 2014 2:01 pm

On the respironics unit, you have a clear plastic elbow where the hose connects.

Since it's still damp hours after turning off the machine, I can only assume that there must be some dampness up in the hose.

If you are concerned about the hose staying wet because of the risk of bacteria etc forming inside, you would also be more than concerned by this plastic elbow and the inside of one part of your machine which seems to be all the time wet. If bacteria will form inside of the hose because of been wet it will arrive the same inside the machine/elbow.

I have allergies, I have a hard time sleeping if I don't use my machine with filtered air (I use N95 filters on it) because my sinuses get block. I used to try to dry out my hose when I washed it once a week at the beginning of my CPAP life (4 or 5 years ago), then I get tired of washing all that stuff and now I don't wash it only each couple of months the hose and the mask when it looks it needs it.

I have never seen any mold or whatever mess on it. I never use tap water in the humidifier, I use distilled only and I repeat have never had problems. A couple of times I needed to use tap water while on a trip, after that I washed the humidifier tank with dish soap and let it on vinegar for an hour and it was all.

I know this is a personal choice, I have tried both ways and I chose to take the one asking for less time because I have other things to do with mine.

If you want to use your spare machine to dry out the hose you will need to put a restriction at the end of the hose to simulate you are hooked to the machine, that will allow the machine to continue blowing as if somebody was attached to it and don't stop because of big leaks detected. That way you will dry out the hose and be able to have peace of mind

This business of hose cleaning reminds me of the arguments for and against home air duct cleaning. Here's part of what the EPA has to say about that.

http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/airduct.html wrote: Duct cleaning has never been shown to actually prevent health problems. Neither do studies conclusively demonstrate that particle (e.g., dust) levels in homes increase because of dirty air ducts...

You should consider having the air ducts in your home cleaned if:

1. There is substantial visible mold growth...
   Ducts are infested with vermin...
   Ducts are clogged with excessive amounts of dust and debris...

I think these guidelines might apply equally well to blower hoses, I would say especially if you have a vermin infestation.

Jay Aitchsee wrote: Neither do studies conclusively demonstrate that particle (e.g., dust) levels in homes increase because of dirty air ducts...

well, you know, it seems that if the dust is accumulating in the ducts, then it's that much dust that isn't making it out of the register and into the free air, eh?

palerider wrote:

Jay Aitchsee wrote: Neither do studies conclusively demonstrate that particle (e.g., dust) levels in homes increase because of dirty air ducts...

well, you know, it seems that if the dust is accumulating in the ducts, then it's that much dust that isn't making it out of the register and into the free air, eh?

Exactly!
So my position is that, until I see vermin emerging from my hose, I'm going to leave it alone.
(unless I get a black ring around my face)

Jay Aitchsee wrote:

palerider wrote:

Jay Aitchsee wrote: Neither do studies conclusively demonstrate that particle (e.g., dust) levels in homes increase because of dirty air ducts...

well, you know, it seems that if the dust is accumulating in the ducts, then it's that much dust that isn't making it out of the register and into the free air, eh?

Exactly!
So my position is that, until I see vermin emerging from my hose, I'm going to leave it alone.
(unless I get a black ring around my face)

well, now, let's look at the old hose... SQUIRREL!

*snort* use the tail to clean the hose.