How many times can you use a disposable FFP3 mask?

[jennyjj01]

This is an old thread! But still relevant. I mentioned on here about buying some N95 masks - went on to Amazon just now, and I find they're actually FFP2. Mentioned it all to my sister this morning - she already has 40 x N95 masks. I'm not the only prepper in the family

I'll get some of those, of course, but I also want some FFP3. I can see valved and unvalved online - does anybody have any recommendations about that? Or a known and trusted supplier?

OMG. It seems like only yesterday we discovered these.
As I recall, FFP2 = P2 = N95 for 95% filtration effectiveness and FFP3 = P3 = N99 for 99% effectiveness. The gold standard! There is an FFP1.
I got mine very early on from screwfix, wickes and toolstation. Tile retailers were the last to run out of stock when they became scarce.
The question of valved is a matter of courtesy: Do you want to protect you or 'them'. Valved or un-valved will protect you equally, but can get hard to wear after a while.Valved does not protect 'them'
Personally I prefer valved. Seen by some as a selfish option as I expel my germs freely . But I see it like this: If I'm effective in defending my lungs, then my exhalations are harmless anyway.
Some hospitals, vaccine centres etc, will get moody if you try to enter with a valved mask. They would rather you wear a rubbish surgical mask, as I discovered when i went for Jab #1. Some countries banned valved masks for crowded places and travel.
Valves do stick. If your valved mask doesn't click when you breath, it is useless.
Beware buying a large batch. I got some few dozen from wickes and they were a really poor fit and tore easily.

[Arzosah]

Thank you so much, Jenny, I'll work on that as soon as I've done another 20 minutes in the garden.

[Trojanhorse]

I have been using Cambridge Masks with valves. I got these off an ebay shop who also sales bushcraft kit etc.

[Yorkshire Andy]

This is an old thread! But still relevant. I mentioned on here about buying some N95 masks - went on to Amazon just now, and I find they're actually FFP2. Mentioned it all to my sister this morning - she already has 40 x N95 masks. I'm not the only prepper in the family

I'll get some of those, of course, but I also want some FFP3. I can see valved and unvalved online - does anybody have any recommendations about that? Or a known and trusted supplier?

OMG. It seems like only yesterday we discovered these.
As I recall, FFP2 = P2 = N95 for 95% filtration effectiveness and FFP3 = P3 = N99 for 99% effectiveness. The gold standard! There is an FFP1.
I got mine very early on from screwfix, wickes and toolstation. Tile retailers were the last to run out of stock when they became scarce.
The question of valved is a matter of courtesy: Do you want to protect you or 'them'. Valved or un-valved will protect you equally, but can get hard to wear after a while.Valved does not protect 'them'
Personally I prefer valved. Seen by some as a selfish option as I expel my germs freely . But I see it like this: If I'm effective in defending my lungs, then my exhalations are harmless anyway.
Some hospitals, vaccine centres etc, will get moody if you try to enter with a valved mask. They would rather you wear a rubbish surgical mask, as I discovered when i went for Jab #1. Some countries banned valved masks for crowded places and travel.
Valves do stick. If your valved mask doesn't click when you breath, it is useless.
Beware buying a large batch. I got some few dozen from wickes and they were a really poor fit and tore easily.

The video has vanished but it involved a magic light and someone with a fluorescent vape liquid the vented masks been better fitted contained more vapor than the generic surgical mask.. the vapour that did escape was angled down toward the floor by the valve unlike tye surgeons mask which vented 360 degrees

[SamVimes]

To answer the original question, about an hour before the moisture in your breath starts to cause issues. Maybe slightly longer with vented masks but unless you breath in and out strongly the valves don't always close firmly.

For a vented respirator mask (when talking about covid, not a dusty environment) a month.