Maintaining and Caring for Your Portable Oxygen Machine
The portable oxygen machine is a life savior to people having trouble breathing oxygen normally from the ambiance. They require increased concentration of oxygen therefore this machine is designed to provide such people with a constant supply of oxygen.
Lightweight and compact, this device is very portable. New advancements in portable oxygen concentrators include some models that are fully FAA-compliant. Therefore, you can carry them even on airplanes.
But, to make sure that your POC is in good condition and works properly for a long time, it is essential to take the right care of it.
In this blog, you will learn about how to take care of your POC the right way. So, get to reading this blog right away and take proper care of your oxygen machine!
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General maintenance of your portable oxygen machine
To ensure that your POC runs efficiently in the long run, you should follow proper weekly, monthly, and quarterly maintenance. Here's a detailed general maintenance guide for your portable oxygen concentrator:
Weekly maintenance
The cleanliness of a POC is a must for weekly maintenance. Blowing out the dirt and dust particles, pet hair, tiny pieces of other materials thrown away and other blade parts will have a deadly effect on the proper functioning of your machine.
So, every week to make your machine work properly, you should use a damp cloth to clean its exterior. Cleaning the filter of the machine is very important as well. Hold the filter under warm water and allow all the dirt particles to wash away. Then dry it completely and reinstall it for use.
Monthly maintenance
The fact that the POC functions correctly and accurately is due to its good care and maintenance. For monthly maintenance, you will need to ensure that each of your devices runs for at least 10 hours.
This is the case because the lubricant gets stuck and thus the sieve bed is affected. It sits in the machine and is the one that filters out nitrogen and all other impurities from the air, the oxygen then comes out of the machine.
So, if you do not take care of the sieve bed properly, it will lead to a major problem later. Also, change the nasal cannula of the device every month.
Quarterly maintenance
Having a HEPA filter with portable oxygen concentrators will entail extra care to keep the machine running. It is recommended that you replace the HEPA filter every three months to keep it functioning properly and catch dirt, dust, and debris.
Moreover, for people residing in the extremely contaminated environment, the need for filter change is going to be higher. To be sure, it is required to completely deplete your gadget's battery every three months in order that it will work well for a long period of time.
It will make your battery function properly and give it long-lasting durability. Your device may also be affected by battery memory issues. Draining it quarterly will solve this problem as well.
Caring for your portable oxygen device: best tips
The proper caring tips can ensure a long life for your POC. If you want to care for your POC the right way, here's a list of tips you can follow
Practice battery rotation
To care for your device, it is important to keep rotating the batteries. For example, if you have 3 batteries for your device, you will need to use them in rotation.
Use the first battery for 3 months, then move on to the second one and then the third one. Changing batteries in this way will reduce stress on a single battery and therefore facilitate better working of your POC.
Store batteries accurately
Another vital thing is to ensure the batteries are correctly stored so that the portable oxygen device will work well for a long time. This will ensure that the device will work efficiently for a long time.
Batteries can be endangered if they are exposed to direct sunlight. Likewise, if your device’s batteries absorb the water vapor in the air, it may also short circuit. So, if you want to care for your device properly, remember to keep the batteries in a safe place.
Use your POC frequently
Your portable oxygen device may stop working if it remains unused for a long time. So, a key tip to keep your device functioning properly is to keep using it frequently. You should at least use it for 3 to 4 months in a year.
Keeping it unused for more than 6 months can make your device require servicing in the factory. It can greatly affect your healthy lifestyle and well-being since you might not be able to use your device at crucial times. Therefore, the best thing you can do is to use it often.
Check for device alarm
You should always look for an alarm from your device as it can keep you aware of its existing condition and the changes you might need to make to it. Most portable oxygen concentrators work by measuring your breath in pulse mode.
However, if it does not happen, it might be due to a damaged cannula, making the alarm ring. The same might happen when your device requires a replacement for the sieve bed.
If your alarm does not stop ringing even after making the changes, you should seek immediate technical assistance from customer support.
Most devices come with an additional warranty for sieve beds. So, if yours consists of an additional warranty, you will not be required to pay for the new sieve bed.
Consult an authorized repair provider
To care for your device accurately, you should always consult an appropriate repair provider who has adequate knowledge about the functioning of your device. Getting your oxygen device repaired from an unauthorized source can lead to major damage to your device.
Therefore, always consult an affiliated center for repairing your portable oxygen device. Also, you should follow the care guide manual accurately to get assistance in keeping your device in perfect condition.
Conclusion
The portable oxygen machine undoubtedly plays an integral part in keeping an individual healthy and active without having trouble breathing.
Being such a vital device, you should always take good care of it. Follow all the maintenance and care guidelines provided in the blog to make your device last for a very long time without malfunctioning.