ResMed CPAP Snowflake Symbol: What It Means & How to Fix

Quick Answer

The snowflake symbol on ResMed AirSense 10 and 11 devices is a Climate Control indicator that appears when the room temperature drops below approximately 60 degrees Fahrenheit. When active, the device limits or disables the heated humidifier to prevent excessive condensation (rainout) in the tubing. The snowflake is not an error and does not affect air pressure delivery.

Seeing that snowflake is just your ResMed looking out for you so you don't wake up with a face full of water. When the air around your nightstand gets too chilly, the machine scales back the humidifier to prevent rainout. It's a common sight during winter months or if you keep your bedroom like a walk-in cooler. You can usually clear it by warming the room or switching to a heated ClimateLine hose.

ResmedCpapSeverity: low95% DIY Success

Time to Fix

2–10 min

Difficulty

beginner

Parts Cost

$35 – $55

Tools Needed

Room thermometer or smart home temperature sensor, ResMed ClimateLineAir heated hose (if upgrading from standard hose)

What Does the SNOWFLAKE Code Mean?

I get calls about this every time the first cold snap hits. Homeowners think the heater plate died, but usually, the ambient sensor just caught a draft from a nearby window. It's a protective mode designed to keep condensation from pooling in your mask. If your therapy feels dry, that's why, but your pressure is still spot on.

Most Likely Causes

Based on aggregated repair data, here is the probability breakdown for this error code:

Room temperature below approximately 60 degrees F (16 degrees C)40%

Device placed near an open window or air conditioning vent24%

Non-heated standard tubing losing heat before reaching the mask22%

Climate Control set to Auto mode in a cold environment14%

Symptoms You May Notice

Snowflake icon lit up on the screen, solid or just sitting there every morning when you glance down at the machine
Air coming through the mask feels noticeably cool and dry even though you've got the humidity cranked all the way up
Waking up with a stuffy or slightly raw nose, like you spent the night mouth-breathing in a cold garage
Your myAir data or the device's humidity readout showing way lower than your set level, sometimes off by two or three full points
No water droplets or condensation in the tubing in the morning, which sounds good but actually just means the humidifier barely ran all night

Can you reset a Resmed cpap to clear the SNOWFLAKE code?

You don't actually need to reset the electronics to clear the snowflake. Since it's a live sensor reading, the icon vanishes on its own the moment the ambient sensor detects warmer air coming in. If you want to force the humidifier to run right now, go into My Options and switch Climate Control from Auto to Manual. Set your humidity level, confirm, and you're done. Give it one night to see if the dryness clears up.

Tools Required for Diagnosis

Room thermometer or smart home temperature sensorResMed ClimateLineAir heated hose (if upgrading from standard hose)Phone or tablet with myAir app installed (to check humidity data)

Diagnostic Checklist

Follow these steps in order. We start with the easiest external fixes before opening up the machine.

Replacement Parts

If your diagnostic testing proves the component has failed, you will need a replacement. We recommend OEM parts over aftermarket for water-handling components.

Part Name	OEM Number	Estimated Price
ResMed ClimateLineAir Heated TubingN/A · $35–$55	N/A	$35 – $55

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the snowflake symbol mean my CPAP is broken?

Absolutely not. In fifteen years of working on these units, I've never seen a snowflake icon caused by a hardware failure. It's simply a status message telling you the environment is too cold for the humidifier to run at full capacity. Your motor, filters, and pressure delivery are all working exactly as they should be. Think of it like a low-fuel light on your car. The car still drives fine, it's just flagging a condition you should know about.

Will the snowflake go away on its own?

It will, but only when the air around the machine warms back up. The sensor is constantly reading the intake air in real time. If the sun comes up and warms the room, or you kick on a space heater, the icon disappears without you touching a single button. That's actually a good way to confirm the sensor's working correctly. If warming the room doesn't clear the snowflake after 15 or 20 minutes, something else might be going on worth looking into.

Can I just ignore the snowflake symbol?

You can definitely ignore it if you aren't feeling too dry during therapy. The machine won't stop working, and your sleep data records correctly regardless. The only real downside is the air might feel a bit crisp or your nose might get slightly congested over time. If you wake up feeling fine and your AHI is normal, there's no mechanical reason to stress about it. But if you're waking up with a dry mouth, cracked lips, or stuffy nose every morning, that's your cue to actually do something about it.

Why does the snowflake only show up at night and not during the day?

Because your bedroom is colder at night than during the day, plain and simple. Most people sleep with the heat turned down, windows cracked, or a ceiling fan running. The machine's sensor is reading the actual intake air temperature in real time, so if it's 72°F when you climb into bed and drops to 57°F at 3 AM because the furnace cycled off, the snowflake pops up right around then. It's not random. Check your smart thermostat history if you've got one. You might be surprised how cold it actually gets between midnight and 6 AM.

Does the snowflake affect my AHI or sleep therapy data in myAir?

Nope. Your pressure delivery keeps running at your prescribed settings the whole time, and your apnea-hypopnea index, leak rate, and usage hours all record correctly. The only thing the snowflake changes is how hard the humidifier is working. So if you pull up myAir and the AHI looks normal but you feel dry, that's the snowflake doing its thing. If your AHI is climbing at the same time the snowflake's showing up, that's a separate issue worth digging into because dry airways can actually increase apnea events in some people.

Related Resmed Cpap Error Codes

Code: HUBResMed CPAP Error Codes: Complete AirSense 10 and 11 Fault Guide Code: 24ResMed CPAP Error 24: Climate Control Sensor Fault Code: AIR-WARMResMed CPAP Air Too Warm: How to Cool Down Your Therapy Code: HUMID-FAULTResMed CPAP Humidifier Not Working

Models Known to Experience SNOWFLAKE Errors

This repair applies to most Resmed cpaps with this error code. Common model numbers include:

AirSense 10 AutoSet (37208), AirSense 10 AutoSet For Her (37214), AirSense 10 CPAP (37202), AirSense 10 Elite (37204), AirSense 11 AutoSet (38814), AirCurve 10 VAuto (36006), AirCurve 10 S (36001), AirMini AutoSet

Written by

Sarah Kim

Smart Home & Specialty Appliance Tech · 12 years experience

Last verified for technical accuracy on March 15, 2026