Maintenance of Your Portable Oxygen Concentrator

Like your cell phone or your refrigerator, your new or refurbished portable oxygen concentrator [POC] will soon become part of your everyday life. You’ve spent a lot of money on it and want to get the best out of your investment. In order to do so, you must regularly maintain your portable oxygen concentrator as you would your vehicle. By taking a proactive approach to maintain your POC, you minimize the risk of it breaking down, which could result in costly repair bills and lack of access to purified oxygen. This could be detrimental to your respiratory therapy. Fortunately, POC’s are very easy to maintain. As a result, we’ve provided for you a maintenance guide. Also, be sure to check your POC user’s manual for specifics. If you have any questions about maintaining your POC, please contact Customer Support at (800) 653-6888.

How To Maintain Your Portable Oxygen Concentrator (POC)

You should make sure you place the POC in a well-ventilated space. We suggest you have at least 5 feet of space around the POC so it is properly ventilated. The unit pulls air in, but pushes exhaust out. Thus, by having plenty of space around it the unit can operate to it’s potential. Plus, this will cut down on the chance of someone bumping into the POC. Note: do not place the unit in a closet or small bathroom. You MUST keep the immediate area around the POC free from debris and clutter.

The POC is constantly pulling air from the surrounding environment. Thus, it is not only important to clean the portable oxygen unit itself by dusting it, but by cleaning the room the unit is placed in on a regular basis. Remember, the machine is designed to manufacture medical grade concentrated oxygen. By cleaning and maintaining the area it is placed in, you make the job easier for your machine.

You should check each connection daily to make sure there are not any leaks between the POC and the tubes. Check the tubes for holes. Also, if your unit has a battery, make sure you replace it regularly with fresh, new batteries. If your POC has charging cables, make sure they are plugged in to the power outlet and connected to the unit so that the portable oxygen concentrator gets charged properly. You wouldn’t want the unit to turn off during the night.

One of the most important steps in maintaining your POC is to change and/or clean the air filter regularly. This is just like your central air and heating unit in your home: if the filter becomes clogged, the portable oxygen concentrator will not run properly. Plus, when dust and debris become trapped for an extended period of time, bacteria and other dangerous microbes can grow inside your POC making you susceptible to infections. Thus, if your portable oxygen concentrator has a gross particle filter, we suggest you clean it at least once per week and replace it once every three months for continuous use. Most filters are easy to access and in the cabinet compartment of the POC, but be sure to check your owner’s manual or call customer support at (800) 653-6888 if you have any questions. If necessary, we will get you in touch with a Respiratory Therapy Support Specialist.

Calling Customer Support

Most all POC’s need to be serviced every few years. If you take the following steps you can avoid having to call a service technician. However, keep in mind that the portable oxygen concentrator is a machine. Machines can and do fail. So please: if you feel that if anytime your POC is not operating properly, please call customer support at (800) 653-6888. We will be more than happy to assist you not only with maintenance questions about portable oxygen concentrators, but can offer help with any questions you have about respiratory supplies.