Have you ever thought about your water chamber?
The standard water chamber for the AirSense™ 10 and AirCurve™ 10 line of machines (pictured above) is one of the most integral parts of your CPAP/BiPAP machine and just like the other components of your machine – it must be regularly maintained and replaced as time goes on. Without the water chamber and humidifying properties of a CPAP machine, people will most likely experience morning dry mouth as well as dry nasal passages that could lead to irritation or inflammation. To ensure that your PAP therapy is comfortable while still being effective, humidification is key and a functioning water chamber will allow for great humidity.
Do you know if you’re taking proper care of your water chamber?
Here are some cleaning guidelines:
- It is recommended that you wash your humidifier and tubing daily in warm water, using a mild cleaning agent. Rinse those parts thoroughly with clean water and allow them to dry away from direct sunlight.
- Once a week, inspect the water chamber for wear and deterioration.
- Replace the water chamber if any component has cracked, become cloudy or has odd indents.
- If you start noticing white powder or deposits in the water chamber..
- (1) Fill the water chamber to the maximum water level mark with a mixture of one part vinegar to ten parts water.
- (2) Soak this solution for ten minutes.
- (3) Discard the solution and rinse the water chamber with clean water.
- Fill your water chamber with only distilled or sterile water.
- Do not use tap water. It may contain minerals and chemicals that can damage components of the machine.
- It is also not recommended to use filtered water (i.e. through a Brita filter) for the same reasons.
- Do not use: bleach, alcohol, chlorine or ammonia-based solutions; moisturising, antibacterial or glycerine based soaps; and water softening and unapproved descaling agents should also be avoided.
Using distilled water will lengthen the life of your water chamber and reduce mineral deposits, so always try and use distilled water as much as you can. The recommended replacement schedule for water chambers is six months per chamber, so as long as you abide by the recommended care guidelines, your water chamber should provide aid in optimal humidification for at least those six months before replacement.