Calcium and other minerals bond to like molecules and eventually collect on the surfaces in the cpap humidifier water chamber.  Eventually these deposits become large enough to see either on the surface or floating in the water.  Calcium and other minerals can eventually cause damage to the water chamber, rubber and silicon o-ring sealers.

Users of cpap machines with humidifiers should following a cleaning schedule to properly maintain the cpap humidifier water chambers.  We suggest the following schedule to properly maintain your cpap humidifier water chamber.

Weekly:  Select a day each week to use approved cpap cleaning supplies to clean all surfaces inside and outside.
Monthly:  Select a day each month to use distilled vinegar and water to clean each part of the water chamber.

The monthly process should be as follows:

Hard plastic parts should be boiled in a mixture of one part distilled vinegar and one part distilled water for 10 minutes.  Let air dry for one hour.
The rubber and silicon o-rings should be soaked in a mixture of one part distilled vinegar and one part distilled water for 30 minutes.  Brush each with a soft bristle toothbrush to remove the loosened deposits.  Let air dry for one hour.

Following these procedures will extend the life of your cpap humidifier water chamber.

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was snoring, not even a mouse;

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;

And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just settled down for a long winter’s nap,

When at the door there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the door I flew like a flash,

Tore open the door to see who was there.

My neighbor Tom said, “Oh, thank God! I thought you were dead.”

I curiously asked, “What in the world would give you that impression?”

Tom replied, “You weren’t snoring like you normally do.”

I responded confidently, “I visited The CPAP Shop and purchased a cpap machine and cpap mask. CPAP helps me with my sleep apnea problem.”

Big Performance in a Small Package

The system is compact and convenient, and out-performs bulky products offered by competitors. VPAP ST is ideal for travel or home use.

Quiet Comfort with Easy-Breathe Technology: Featuring Easy-Breathe, ResMed’s new comfort technology, VPAP ST offers nearly silent therapy and greater pressure stability so patients sleep comfortably throughout the night. VPAP ST uses Easy-Breathe pressure delivery and synchronizes with the patient’s normal respiration so that breathing feels more natural and comfortable.

Proven Technology, Effective Treatment: The VPAP ST provides Spontaneous/Timed (S/T) therapy that allows the patient to breathe at their normal respiratory rate. If the patient experiences an apnea or falls below the set rate, the device supports the patient’s ventilation with a timed breath. ResMed’s exclusive TiControl™ allows the clinician to customize therapy for acute conditions. Vsync™ technology compensates for mask leakage and provides consistent flow performance. VPAP ST features exceptional trigger and cycle sensitivity for customization at the beginning and end of each breath. VPAP ST is the most versatile device available andis compatible with the S8 ResLink™, H4i™, ResScan™ and S8 ResTraxx.™

Cool pass-over style humidifiers allow the air flow to pass over a pool of water and subsequently pick up water vapor by free evaporation. Typically the larger the surface area of the pool of water the more water vapor the air stream can pick up.  Heated pass-over style humidifiers are much more efficient at providing humidification simply by increasing the water temperature, which increases water vapor production vs. free humidification.   By increasing the water temperature, additional energy is added to the individual molecules, allowing more of them to transform from the liquid state. As a result, the heated humidifier has the capability to provide additional water vapor to the air stream vs. a typical cool pass-over design.

• Bacteria and the Chamber

Heated humidification produces molecular water vapor (.0001 microns in size) that is too small to transport bacteria into the air stream that is delivered to the patient. If small amounts of bacteria are present in the chamber there is little risk to the patient. Bacteria requires a carrier and molecular water vapor cannot provide this mechanism.

Note: The humidifier chamber does offer good conditions for colonization by micro-organisms such as bacteria. This has been demonstrated over the years with other respiratory devices. This fact highlights the importance of proper and frequent cleaning of the humidifier chambers.

• Distilled water vs. tap water

Most tap water contains various minerals. When a pool of water is heated and evaporated, these minerals are left behind and may cause discoloration to the aluminum plate and plastic housing of the humidifier chamber. It may adversely affect the longevity of the chamber. Distilled water has been purified and will not generate mineral residue upon evaporation and may extend the usable life of the chamber.