Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
Last updated
A CPAP hose (also called CPAP tubing) is the flexible tube that carries pressurised air from a CPAP device to the mask. Hose “size” can mean three different things: the tube’s inner diameter (22, 15 or 12 mm on common manufacturer lines), the connector at each end, and the standard that defines conical breathing-system connectors (ISO 5356-1, which lists 15 mm and 22 mm general-use sizes but not 12 mm). This guide separates those meanings so you can read a device manual correctly. Who uses it: sleep clinics, home-care and supply staff, and people who maintain CPAP equipment.
This page describes products and general use; it is not medical advice.
What a CPAP hose is
The hose is the breathing-circuit link between the device’s air outlet and the mask. It is a single-patient accessory: Philips marks its tubing with a symbol meaning single patient use. Clinic supply lists treat it as a consumable accessory alongside masks, filters and humidifier chambers; see CPAP accessories and what a CPAP machine is for the wider parts list.
How it is built
A standard hose is flexible plastic tubing with a cuff at each end; the device end slides over the air outlet port. A heated hose adds electrical components and a pin connector that clips into the bottom of the air outlet port. Philips lists the heated tubing material as flexible plastic and electrical components, with a standard length of 1.83 m (6 ft) for its DreamStation 2 circuit.
Types and variants
The table shows the tubing options one manufacturer documents for one device family, the Philips DreamStation 2 user manual (checked 2026-10-30). Other makers and models use their own lines, so always check the manual for your device.
| Tubing option | Heated? | How the manual identifies it | Key difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 mm standard | No | Cuff carries no symbol | Slides straight over the device air outlet port |
| 15 mm standard | No | Cuff symbol “15” | Smaller diameter than 22 mm; same slide-on connection |
| 12 mm performance | No | Cuff symbol “12” | Needs a device adapter and a mask adapter |
| 15 mm heated | Yes | Cuff symbol “HT15” | Pin connector clips into the air outlet port |
| 12 mm heated | Yes | Cuff symbol “HT12” | Pin connector plus a provided mask adapter at the mask end |
The same manual describes 12, 15 and 22 mm standard or performance tubing and 12 or 15 mm heated tubing as circuit options. The heated-tubing specification gives the inner diameter as 15 mm (HT15) or 12 mm (HT12).
Sizes and connectors that matter
Hose inner diameter versus connector standard
The 22, 15 and 12 mm figures above describe the tubing line. ISO 5356-1:2015, “Anaesthetic and respiratory equipment – Conical connectors – Part 1: Cones and sockets” (German edition EN ISO 5356-1, edition 2015-06, per the DIN catalogue entry checked 2026-10-30), specifies dimensions for conical connections: 8.5 mm and 11.5 mm sizes for neonatal and paediatric breathing systems, and 15 mm and 22 mm sizes for general use in breathing systems. Twelve millimetres is not in that list, so a 12 mm hose is a manufacturer line that relies on adapters rather than an ISO cone size. This page does not state that any particular CPAP hose complies with the standard; the standard covers the connector dimensions only.
Adapters
Philips states that a 12 mm non-heated performance tube needs an adapter to connect to the therapy device, and that 12 mm heated or performance tubing uses a provided mask adapter at the mask end.
How to choose
The criterion the manufacturer documentation gives is compatibility: use tubing the device manual lists for that model, identified by the cuff symbol or the absence of one. For the DreamStation 2 the manual names the options in the table above. Do not assume a hose from one manufacturer’s line fits another’s device without the maker’s stated adapter. Heated tubing is an option only on devices and humidifiers whose manual supports it.
Safe use and handling basics
- Do not pull or stretch the tubing; the Philips manual warns this could cause circuit leaks.
- The Philips manual says to inspect the tubing for damage or wear (cracking, tears, punctures) and to discard and replace it if damaged.
- If a device is used by multiple persons in a hospital environment (such as rental devices), the manual says a low-resistance, main flow bacteria filter should be installed in-line between the device and the circuit tubing.
- Cleaning: the FDA (consumer update current as of 2024-08-26, checked 2026-10-30) says most CPAP accessories, including masks, hoses and humidifier tanks, can be cleaned with mild soap and water, and that detachable hoses and connectors can be soaked in a sink of soapy water. Philips’ DreamStation 2 manual specifies hand washing the tubing before first use and weekly, rinsing thoroughly, drying fully, and discarding and replacing it every 6 months. These are one maker’s instructions for one model; follow your own manual.
- The FDA states there are currently no FDA cleared or approved devices for cleaning, disinfecting or sanitizing CPAP machines, and that both UV light and ozone can break down CPAP accessories like hoses and masks.
Common mistakes
- Treating “15 mm” or “22 mm” as one thing: a tubing inner diameter and an ISO connector size are different measurements.
- Describing 12 mm tubing as an ISO connector size; the standard’s scope does not list it.
- Forgetting the adapter that 12 mm tubing uses.
- Using ozone or UV cleaning products on hoses, which the FDA says can degrade them.
- Applying one maker’s replacement schedule to another maker’s hose.
FAQ
What are the CPAP hose sizes?
On the Philips DreamStation 2 the tubing options are 22 mm, 15 mm and 12 mm standard or performance tubing, plus 15 mm and 12 mm heated. Other manufacturers publish their own lines.
What is the standard CPAP tubing diameter?
There is no single figure. The ISO 5356-1 connector standard lists 15 mm and 22 mm general-use cone and socket sizes; the tubing diameter your device accepts is whatever its manual lists.
Can I use a 12 mm hose on any CPAP device?
Only where the manual lists it. On the DreamStation 2, 12 mm performance tubing requires a device adapter and a mask adapter.
How do I tell what size my hose is?
On Philips tubing, look at the cuff for “12”, “15”, “HT12” or “HT15”; 22 mm tubing carries no symbol.
Related: CPAP and oxygen mask types, sleep clinic supply checklist, and the separate oxygen tubing guide. Supplies in this category are listed under CPAP and oxygen masks.
Sources
- Philips Respironics, DreamStation 2 CPAP Advanced / Auto CPAP Advanced user manual (circuit connection, tubing identifiers, heated tubing specifications, home cleaning), documents.philips.com, checked 2026-10-30.
- DIN, EN ISO 5356-1:2015 catalogue entry (scope), din.de, checked 2026-10-30.
- U.S. FDA, Do You Need a Device That Claims to Clean Your CPAP Machine?, content current as of 2024-08-26, checked 2026-10-30.
