It’s late at night, you are about to go to sleep, but when you press the power button on your CPAP – Zip, Zilch, Nada – your machine does not turn on. Panic begins to flood your mind. You have a big meeting tomorrow! There is no way on earth you can miss sleep before this meeting!
Panicked, you try everything. Is the power off? No, everything else is turning on. Is it the outlet? No. Is the power cord damaged? No. Do you have everything connected correctly?
After going through this long mental checklist, you realize your machine is done for, and you…well, you are going to try to sleep as best you can and pray your spouse does not kick you out onto the couch because you are snoring too loudly.
As you crawl into bed and try to shut your eyes, all you can think of is “how did I miss this? How did I not know my machine was about to die?”
Lucky for you, reader, you are not in bed. You are here, reading this article, and luckily you are going to know the signs before your machine decides to take a permanent hiatus.
1. Low Air Pressure
One big indicator of a CPAP about to go to the great beyond is low air pressure. This, of course, is not to be confused with your therapy pressure being too low. Sometimes even slight changes to your body can mean you need higher or lower air pressure. Consult your Respiratory Therapist before making any rash decisions.
Another thing to check would be your filters. Filters need to be replaced regularly to make sure your pressure is running as it should. When you do not change your filters, this can quickly shorten the lifespan of your machine as it needs to work harder to produce the same amount of air pressure.
However, if your pressure is set correctly and your filters are clean, it may be time to consider either getting a new CPAP or repairing your current one. You can also try our CPAP rental program.
2. Your CPAP Makes Strange/Loud Noises
Strange sounds can indicate a lot of things. It can be the sound of an air leak, the sound of normal operation, or it can be a sign that some part is not working properly.
Grinding, mechanical noises, or banging noises are usually signs that your CPAP is about to give up the ghost. However, before you give up on your sleep apnea buddy, be sure you check to make sure it isn’t something that can be fixed quickly:
- Is the tubing connected securely?
- Has your filter been replaced regularly?
- Are there any air leaks?
- Is your power cord free from any cuts/breaches?
- Is your pressure set correctly?
3. It Is More than 5 Years Old
Nothing lasts forever, unfortunately. While all our CPAP machines do come with a manufacturer warranty, the average lifespan of a CPAP machine is 5 years.
Even though regular maintenance can make these machines live to twice that age, once your machine is 5 years or older you may want to consider purchasing a new CPAP and retiring this one as a backup. Often CPAPs can seem fine right before they go downhill quickly.
Keep in mind to do a checkup periodically on your machine to notice these early signs. With older units, having a backup CPAP is strongly advised as repair time can take 2 to 4 weeks.
If your CPAP is old or showing signs that it is not long for this world you can contact us at RespShop.com for repair, replacement, or rent one today. Our friendly staff is knowledgeable and able to quickly give the best assessment of your situation.
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