Water has the tendency to accumulate in a CPAP tube because of the cooling and condensing of warm, moist air that travels from the CPAP machine to the mask. This occurrence is called a rainout. When the warm moist air flows through the tube, the room temperature cools the tube. The air inside the tube releases moisture when the tube cools. This condensation inside the hose is called rainout.
Though the rainout won’t readily affect the efficiency of the CPAP machine, a rainout will nonetheless the humidification. Here are some tips on how you can reduce rainout.
- Increase the temperature of the room. A cold room with increase rainout.
- Keep the bed and CPAP machine at the same level
- Use an insulated hose by buying a hose cover
- Lower the temperature of the heated humidifier
- There are heated CPAP hose that maintains the temperature from the machine to the mask.
CPAP Hose
Do you need a CPAP hose? Condensation happens when warm air emitted by the heated humidifier cools down as it travels through the CPAP hose. If you wish to maximize usage of your heated humidifier, you need a CPAP hose as insulating the hose will effectively maintain the temperature in the hose and thus ensure that the air’s moisture content is maintained to a minimum. The insulating hose cove will not in any way deter the function and performance of the CPAP hose. It will even add a little weight to the hose, making it easier to handle and position. Examples of these wraps or covers available at CPAP Victoria are ResMed Tubing Wrap and SlimLine Tubing Wrap.
Rainout Reduction Features
CPAP manufacturers such as ResMed and Philips Respironics have developing and innovating ways to minimize humidifier rainout for optimum humidification.
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AirSense™ 10 Elite CPAP Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier has a selection of customized humidification setting of 1-8 using the ClimateLineAir™ technology for automatic or optimum humidification. This machine makes use RedMed’s climate control technology to reduce rainout.
- AirSense 10 Elite with HumidAir Heated Humidifier and AIRVIEW functions are the same with the first model presented. This humidifier does not automatically adjust for pressure change. This model is also 23% lighter than older models because the humidification system is integrated into the machine.
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Philips Respironics System One REMstar 60 Series PRO CPAP with Heated Tube Humidifier offers improved humidification for flexibility, comfort and optimum performance. A humidity and room temperature sensors
are included at the heated tube end to ensure the highest level of humidity with no condensation or rainout. Philips Respironics’ System One Humidity Control Technology to reduce the occurrence of rainouts. The system analyzes relative humidity, ambient room temperature and airflow from the tube to the user’s mask, and then adjusts it accordingly.
- Philips Respironics REMstar Pro C-Flex+System One 60 Series and heated humidifier basically functions the same way as the previous model presented. The added feature is the machine’s capability to check on the user’s prescribed CPAP pressure after every 30 hours to make sure that the therapy pressure is optimized. If it is not, the system adjusts the fixed CPAP pressure automatically.
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Philips DreamStation PRO CPAP with Humidifier and Heated Tube features both pressure relief attributes ad Bluetooth wireless technology for optimum humidification and comfort to the user.
Heated Hose
ResMed has come up with a heated CPAP hose to do away with hose insulation or cover. A heated CPAP hose features copper coils wrapped around or embedded in the hose. The coils conduct steady temperature through the length of the CPAP hose. Rainout is eliminated and the user is assured of a comfortable and optimum humidification process. An example is ResMed Airsense 10 ClimateLineAir heated tube which is compatible with Airsense 10 Elite, Airsense 10 Auto and Airsense 10 Auto for Her.
Check out the links for more information on these products.
