Resmed filter change schedule confusion

I just got a new ResMed Airsense 10. I'm trying to figure out how often to replace the filter.
The DME says every 2 weeks.
The ResMed quick start guide says every month.
The ResMed user manual says at least every 6 months.
That's a big range: anywhere from 2 weeks to 6 months.
I'm looking for any guidance anyone can offer about a good replacement schedule.

A related question: I found cheap filters on Amazon from Sunset Healthcare. Are those good? Some of the reviews say are are thinner than the ones that come with the machine. Or do you have better suggestions about where and what brand to buy?

Thanks,
-David

you should replace the filter every 6 months or when you start to see it turn black

I check the filter once a month and change it when it starts to look dirty. During the high pollen season, I change it every two weeks because of my allergies.

davidr wrote:I just got a new ResMed Airsense 10. I'm trying to figure out how often to replace the filter.
The DME says every 2 weeks.

They want to sell you more and more shit.

davidr wrote:The ResMed quick start guide says every month.

Newbie fluff.

davidr wrote:The ResMed user manual says at least every 6 months or as needed.

The technical guide... trust this.

davidr wrote:That's a big range: anywhere from 2 weeks to 6 months.
I'm looking for any guidance anyone can offer about a good replacement schedule.

any other questions?

davidr wrote:A related question: I found cheap filters on Amazon from Sunset Healthcare. Are those good? Some of the reviews say are are thinner than the ones that come with the machine. Or do you have better suggestions about where and what brand to buy?

Thanks,
-David

I use whatever's cheaper from ebay or amazon, have for years.

Change every month or more often during allergy season for me Feb-June. Then, Aug/Sept, Nov/Dec. I bought a LOT from sleep doc last visit 2011 and still have some.

A wide range means change it when it's dirty. Could be 2 weeks to six months depending on hours of use and your environment. You'll have to decide when it looks dirty enough to change it. At home I just use the gray filter and wash it once a week. If I'm camping or sleeping somewhere dirty I'll put in a white filter and use that until it looks like it needs to be thrown away.

Rob K wrote:A wide range means change it when it's dirty. Could be 2 weeks to six months depending on hours of use and your environment. You'll have to decide when it looks dirty enough to change it. At home I just use the gray filter and wash it once a week. If I'm camping or sleeping somewhere dirty I'll put in a white filter and use that until it looks like it needs to be thrown away.

One thing to note is that the resmed filters don't have to be changed as often as respironics, because they're something like 2.3 times the size... larger filter, longer time between changes.

I use the hypoallergenic filters from cpap.com, I want to keep as much stuff out of my lungs and my machine as possible. It's not worth it to save a couple bucks a year and gum up an almost $900 machine (my dad had one fail most likely due to baby powder).

Also if you use a P10 nasal pillow mask, it will last longer if you have a good filter, so that the mesh doesn't get clogged. I've had one get ruined in a month in a dusty environment, even with the hypoallergenic filter. Again, it's not worth saving a few bucks on a filter and then having to buy a $100 mask.

If you hold the filter up to the light, you'll see little dots on it formed by the holes in the filter door. Also one small corner isn't really used so this is a good basis for comparison. If the light is being blocked, the air will be blocked also. Note that a filter actually improves over time as it gets more plugged up, but it becomes harder for the CPAP to pull air through it and will wear out the fan faster. So it's a balance, best judged by looking through the filter.

If you take it out to look, make sure you insert it back with the same side out, or all the stuff caught by the filter will then be backwashed into the machine.

I have a hepa air filter in my bedroom for allergies, and so the filter in the CPAP is still pretty much brand new after a whole year. But I've gone on vacation to a dusty area and had the filter be used up after 3 weeks. So it really depends on how clean the air is going in.

The hypoallergenic filters fill up quicker.
Medicare will let me have two a month, but I can go three weeks
before the filter gets gray and grubby enough that I am OK with using a new one.
My allergies let me know when it is time for a new filter.
I live in a very old, dusty house; so YMMV.

Just info: As filters catch more particles they become more efficient, removing smaller and smaller particles. This is a good thing, Until the filter gets too dirty and can no longer meet the flow requirements. Tonight mine gets changed. Jim

In terms of ResMed filter quality...name brand vs aftermarket brands like Sunset.
I recently ordered an aftermarket hypoallergenic filter from Amazon seller (the same seller I was getting a replacement water chamber from when I dropped mine and broke it). I think what I got was Sunset brand but I would need to go dig them out to be sure.

There is a noticeable different in the density or thickness of the aftermarket brand when compared to a name brand ResMed hypoallergenic filter.
It takes 2 of the aftermarket filters to feel the same thickness in my fingers....I played with them...
One brand in one hand and the other brand in the other hand.

Now is this difference in density a critical issue? That I don't know the answer to. The less dense aftermarket filter is still denser than the mesh like filter that came with the machine.

If someone doesn't understand what I mean by "mesh like"...here's a picture that shows 3 filters.
One is the hypoallergenic filter on the left and the other 2 are 2 different brands of mesh filters.
ResMed routinely supplies the mesh like filter...so apparently they think it is sufficient for whatever filtration needs the machine might need.
And it is this filter that they are referring to in the manual when they say 6 months or sooner if it get too dirty looking.
Those other more dense filters like the white fine filter or the white fine hypoallergenic filters are filters that we as users might want to use for peace of mind. Peace of mind can be very important to some people. From a technical only standpoint ResMed seems to think that the mesh filters are sufficient...for my own personal preferences and peach of mind I prefer the fine filters and for me either the regular fine or hypoallegenic filters I am good with. After actually having the aftermarket fine filter in my hand and feeling the difference in density...it's a tough call but I get more peace of mind from the ResMed brand filter. Is it a critical need...probably not because even the cheap after market fine filter is denser than the ResMed supplied mesh filter...but I am using 2 of the aftermarket fine filters so as to give me about what I was getting with the ResMed brand hypoallergenic filter. It is probably over kill...but again for my own peace of mind it is just something I prefer.

I only got 4 of the cheap filters so won't take me long to get them dirty and end up in the trash....and after that I am going to stick with name brand hypoallergenic filters mainly for the peace of mind thing. Yes, they cost a little more and a bit harder to find but I think I have found a different source (I used to have a guy on EBay that I could get name brand filters from but he's gone) and probably will just buy in bulk from the source I found.
If anyone wants to go in with the cost on these name brand filters..send me a PM and we can talk about it. Near as I can tell about $2 a filter when in bulk of 50 package.