What is a CPAP Water Chamber?
The water chamber is the removable container that holds the water in your humidifier (see the clear plastic tub on the left below).
Using a humidifier can make a positive difference to your therapy comfort and experience. By warming and moistening the air you’re breathing, it helps prevent you having a dry nose and throat and can help you keep your mouth closed while you sleep.
Humidification helps to improve comfort and thus improves compliance. Read more about heated humidification for CPAP therapy here.
How do I clean and maintain my CPAP waterchamber?
Like all of the other components of your sleep apnea equipment, your water chamber should be cleaned on a regular basis.
Daily:
1. Empty and residual water from the chamber when you wake up in the morning.
2. Leave the water chamber out to dry thoroughly.
3. Use distilled water to prevent mineral build up in your water chamber and tubing. While it’s ok to use tap water occasionally, like when travelling (read more about that here), manufacturers recommend using distilled water for optimal usage.
How often do I need to replace my CPAP water chamber?
Manufacturers recommend replacing a standard water chamber every 6 months.
Most insurance companies follow Medicare guidelines and will authorize a new water chamber this often. This means that if you’re receiving a new CPAP supply shipment every 90 days, your shipment should include a new water chamber in every other order. Check with your equipment provider or contact your insurance company to see what they allow.
The CPT code for a water chamber is A7046.
How do I know if I need to replace my water chamber?
The chamber may develop cracks, pitted areas, or discoloration owing to minerals in the water and buildup inside the chamber. As the material deteriorates, cracks may trap bacteria from moisture. If this happens before six months of usage, you should replace it.
Do you have questions about your therapy? Is it time to order replacement CPAP supplies?
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Sources:
https://sleepapnea.org/treat/cpap-therapy/what-you-should-know-about-cpap-humidification/the-importance-of-cpap-humidification/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10453869
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