Water for Humidifier

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
User avatar
Logies101
Posts: 180
Joined: Tue Dec 09, 2014 11:24 pm

Water for Humidifier

Post by Logies101 » Sat Jan 24, 2015 11:01 pm

I ran out of distilled water and was wondering if it's okay to use bottled spring water in my humidifier if I boil it, or do I need to?

_________________
Mask: AirFit™ F10 For Her Full Face Mask with Headgear
Humidifier: S9™ Series H5i™ Heated Humidifier with Climate Control
Additional Comments: Pressure is 9cm, Climateline Heated Tubing, Breathe Rite Strips, Chin Up Strips, Sleepyhead Software

Sleeprider
Posts: 1562
Joined: Tue May 06, 2008 5:57 pm
Location: Murrysville, PA

Re: Water for Humidifier

Post by Sleeprider » Sat Jan 24, 2015 11:16 pm

Go to the tap, turn it on, fill reservoir to line, go to sleep.

I've used nothing but tap water since 2008. The only thing that will reach you is the small amount of moisture evaporated from the reservoir. If you have hard water, you might have to clean out mineral deposits if you allow the water to repeatedly dry up. Bottled drinking water is generally filtered municipal water. Save a few bucks.

_________________
Machine: AirCurve™ 10 VAuto BiLevel Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
Mask: AirFit™ P10 Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: Sleepyhead software. Just changed from PRS1 BiPAP Auto DS760TS

mgaggie
Posts: 870
Joined: Sun Apr 21, 2013 4:30 am
Location: Victoria, Australia

Re: Water for Humidifier

Post by mgaggie » Sat Jan 24, 2015 11:57 pm

like sleeprider said, you may get mineral deposits in the tank, but they will wash out easily. I wouldn't worry about boiling it

User avatar
Drowsy Dancer
Posts: 1271
Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2011 9:35 am
Location: here

Re: Water for Humidifier

Post by Drowsy Dancer » Sun Jan 25, 2015 12:06 am

The only reason the manufacturer recommends using distilled water is to prevent the buildup of scale in the tank. If you dump the tank daily, or use white vinegar to clean out your tank, you can use tap water.

I usually use distilled water, but use tap water when I'm traveling.

_________________
Machine: PR System One REMStar 60 Series Auto CPAP Machine
Mask: Swift™ FX Bella Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgears
Additional Comments: Software: SleepyHead. Pressure: APAP 9.5 min/11 max, A-Flex x2
How we squander our hours of pain. -- Rilke

User avatar
archangle
Posts: 9294
Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2011 11:55 am

Re: Water for Humidifier

Post by archangle » Sun Jan 25, 2015 10:41 am

Distilled water is worth it for many of us because it's fairly cheap and easily available.

Any tap water that's safe to drink is probably OK, but dump and rinse the humidifier tank every morning.

ResMed says you need to use the optional cleanable water tank for non-distiled water, but it won't hurt to use regular tap water every so often.

In theory, crud in the water tank will be left behind when the water evaporates, but I like to keep it clean anyway.

_________________
Mask: Swift™ FX Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Humidifier: S9™ Series H5i™ Heated Humidifier with Climate Control
Additional Comments: Also SleepyHead, PRS1 Auto, Respironics Auto M series, Legacy Auto, and Legacy Plus
Please enter your equipment in your profile so we can help you.
Click here for information on the most common alternative to CPAP.
If it's midnight and a DME tells you it's dark outside, go and check for yourself.

Useful Links.

Sleeprider
Posts: 1562
Joined: Tue May 06, 2008 5:57 pm
Location: Murrysville, PA

Re: Water for Humidifier

Post by Sleeprider » Sun Jan 25, 2015 12:27 pm

Come on Archangle! look who we're talking to....

Image

Tell me this critter does not drink straight from the toilet.

(Fondly remmbering my Golden Retrievers)

_________________
Machine: AirCurve™ 10 VAuto BiLevel Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
Mask: AirFit™ P10 Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: Sleepyhead software. Just changed from PRS1 BiPAP Auto DS760TS

User avatar
jvargas127
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2015 3:55 pm
Location: San Francisco Bay Area

Re: Water for Humidifier

Post by jvargas127 » Sun Jan 25, 2015 4:14 pm

Used distilled water and bottled water for about 1 year. I started using tap water 6 months ago and I haven't encountered any problems, except for some slight mineralization inside the humidifier. It is easy to clean out.
I keep track of sleep stats with Sleepy Head Software.

RobertS975
Posts: 209
Joined: Tue Feb 11, 2014 6:03 pm
Location: MA

Re: Water for Humidifier

Post by RobertS975 » Sun Jan 25, 2015 7:27 pm

A gallon of distilled water is 99 cents at most of my local supermarkets. That is what I use at home... but when I travel, I use any non-carbonated bottled water.

User avatar
Logies101
Posts: 180
Joined: Tue Dec 09, 2014 11:24 pm

Re: Water for Humidifier

Post by Logies101 » Sun Jan 25, 2015 10:51 pm

Sleeprider wrote:Come on Archangle! look who we're talking to....

Image

Tell me this critter does not drink straight from the toilet.

(Fondly remmbering my Golden Retrievers)
Yeah but I don't BREATHE it

_________________
Mask: AirFit™ F10 For Her Full Face Mask with Headgear
Humidifier: S9™ Series H5i™ Heated Humidifier with Climate Control
Additional Comments: Pressure is 9cm, Climateline Heated Tubing, Breathe Rite Strips, Chin Up Strips, Sleepyhead Software

User avatar
Ransid
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2014 6:53 pm
Location: Auckland NZ

Re: Water for Humidifier

Post by Ransid » Mon Jan 26, 2015 2:23 am

It depends where you live I live in New Zealand now and the water is good so I can use tap water, but I lived in London for 5 years and the water is not so good the water is drinkable but there is heaps of lime scale in the water the hot water jug has lime scale floaters after just a few uses.

_________________
MachineMask

User avatar
archangle
Posts: 9294
Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2011 11:55 am

Re: Water for Humidifier

Post by archangle » Mon Jan 26, 2015 6:53 am

There's more germ food in most tap water than there is in distilled water. As the water evaporates, the germ food gets more concentrated. Dumping the tap water and rinsing it every morning helps reduce this.

If you want to gross yourself out, get a big, clear glass container full of tap water, put it in the microwave and slowly boil away all the water and see what's left behind. Then picture what would happen if you did that every day for several days.

YYMV (Your Yuckage May Vary) depending on your water supply.

Personally, I insist on organic, free range, cruelty free, gluten free, kosher distilled water.

_________________
Mask: Swift™ FX Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Humidifier: S9™ Series H5i™ Heated Humidifier with Climate Control
Additional Comments: Also SleepyHead, PRS1 Auto, Respironics Auto M series, Legacy Auto, and Legacy Plus
Please enter your equipment in your profile so we can help you.
Click here for information on the most common alternative to CPAP.
If it's midnight and a DME tells you it's dark outside, go and check for yourself.

Useful Links.

User avatar
Nick Danger
Posts: 621
Joined: Mon Jun 09, 2014 3:13 pm

Re: Water for Humidifier

Post by Nick Danger » Mon Jan 26, 2015 1:37 pm

I've been using tap water for a couple of years now - no problem.

_________________
Machine: ResMed AirSense™ 10 AutoSet™ CPAP Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
Mask: AirFit™ P10 Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: APAP mode, minimum pressure = 9. No ramp, EPR = 3, medium. Soft cervical collar. Sleepyhead software.

User avatar
Tatooed Lady
Posts: 984
Joined: Sat Jun 07, 2014 6:18 pm
Location: Central Wisconsin

Re: Water for Humidifier

Post by Tatooed Lady » Mon Jan 26, 2015 2:12 pm

Ive lived in a couple places that the water wasn't drinkable...THAT I wouldn't use...I use distilled when possible, and occasionally supplement with bottled, if I run out of distilled.

_________________
Mask: Swift™ FX For Her Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Humidifier: S9™ Series H5i™ Heated Humidifier with Climate Control
Additional Comments: Precious and POW are very very good to me.
As Bette Davis famously said, “Old age ain’t for sissies.”
I'm with the band.
So.Many.TOYS!

User avatar
palerider
Posts: 32300
Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2009 5:43 pm
Location: Dallas(ish).

Re: Water for Humidifier

Post by palerider » Mon Jan 26, 2015 2:15 pm

Tatooed Lady wrote:Ive lived in a couple places that the water wasn't drinkable...THAT I wouldn't use...I use distilled when possible, and occasionally supplement with bottled, if I run out of distilled.
you could just melt snow each night

_________________
Mask: Bleep DreamPort CPAP Mask Solution
Additional Comments: S9 VPAP Auto
Get OSCAR

Accounts to put on the foe list: dataq1, clownbell, gearchange, lynninnj, mper!?, DreamDiver, Geer1, almostadoctor, sleepgeek, ajack, stom, mogy, D.H., They often post misleading, timewasting stuff.

User avatar
chunkyfrog
Posts: 34369
Joined: Mon Jul 12, 2010 5:10 pm
Location: Nebraska--I am sworn to keep the secret of this paradise.

Re: Water for Humidifier

Post by chunkyfrog » Mon Jan 26, 2015 2:29 pm

I only use distilled water, after a year or two, the toilet tank looks like a limestone cave!
Look out for Sleestacks!

_________________
Mask: AirFit™ P10 For Her Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: Airsense 10 Autoset for Her