Tools --> Rules - Inconsistent Behavior

I have a couple of rules established that check for particular generic senders and place these incoming messages into folders other than the Inbox. For a reason unknown to me, the rules fail to operate for certain time intervals - usually this non-operative state lasts 1-2 days and without notice the rules begin functioning again. The switch from functional to non-functional seems to occur over night. I change nothing on the client side to cause anything to happen. Any ideas?