Insect in CPAP machine?

[RichardK2000]

I have unfortunately seen these very small (size of sharp tip of a pin) tan colored insects in my bedroom.  They are very hard to see and I am afraid they may be in CPAP machine and would be blown into my lungs, which I would think cause major problems.  I know I can wash my hose, but I'm sure they could be in other parts of the machine though.  Would wearing a cloth mask work?  

I haven't used my machine in a few years and I need to since I am falling asleep when I drive to work, which is 1.5 hours away.

[Crimson Nape]

They could be ladybugs. I'm starting to see them appear here in Georgia. For good measure, you might switch your filter out for a hypoallergenic one.

[Gideon]

Let's see if you have a problem.

First make sure hose, mask, humidifier chamber are all clean, no bugs or debris.
change the inlet filter, want it clean and as resistance-free as possible for this test.
Get an antibacterial filter. It goes between the machine and your mask.
run the machine for 30 minutes without wearing the mask.
The flow will increase to max/near max, I'm not sure what the filter will allow because of its resistance.
Stop and inspect the filter. No Bugs or particles you should be in good shape.

[RichardK2000]

No, they are too small.  Like I said the insect could fit on the sharp tip of a pin.  I've seen them off and on my whole life, but never knew what kind of insect they are.

[Big Guy]

If nothing else, buy some insecticide. Lots of stuff can be used indoors safely and easily enough. Spray your bedroom and see if that helps at all. 

Spray around the area that your machine sits on. Maybe spray a paper towel and wipe it around your machine. 

Gotta say, if you can actually see an insect that is small enough to fit on the sharp end of a pin, you have better eye sight than I do. 

[Sleeprider]

No, they are too small.  Like I said the insect could fit on the sharp tip of a pin.  I've seen them off and on my whole life, but never knew what kind of insect they are.

The in-line CPAP antibacterial filter between the machine and mask is more than good enough to remove any invaders of this size. It has sub-micron filtration. 99.9% Bacterial Filtration Efficiency (BFE) is 99.9%

[LindanHotAir]

If you have a filter on the input, they should not be able to get into the inlet. Put water into the humidifier tank and run the machine for an hour. If you don’t see anything in the water you should be OK. You can also use a hair dryer and blow hot air through the hose. That should kill any bugs that may have gotten into the hose.

[StevesSp]

Sounds like they might be Bed Bugs. If that's the case, you have a big job on your hands to eradicate them because they hide all over the place during the day, albeit usually in and around the bed where their food source is - i.e. you.

As you have now seen, they are hard to spot. Have you been aware of any rash lately? Their bites look like tiny red marks, tend to occur in clusters and can be very itchy.

In most cases, new infestations arise after you have slept in another bed, typically a hotel or motel. They then hitch hike on your body or clothes, back to your place.

[RichardK2000]

They are too small to be bed bugs.  They are the size of the pointed tip of a pin.

[StevesSp]

'Baby' Bed Bugs are indeed tiny. From the EPA:

Bed bug eggs, in general, are tiny, the size of a pinhead;