Humidifier Question

I have had my CPAP machine for about 3.5 months. It is a RESMED machine with the humidifier. I have a question for you experienced users.

I am using distilled water in the humidifier. Each evening I put the water in the container and then each morning empty out what is left. While the water is not expensive, about $1.00 a gallon and lasts a couple of weeks, it seems to me that it may not be necessary to empty the container each morning. What do others do regarding the humidifier resevoir?

I check it every few days (I run it on passover mode) and just top it off as needed. I clean it every now and then.

This recent thread may help: viewtopic/t48196/What-is-your-take-on-d ... ifier.html

I think most of us just top it off, rather than pouring out what's left in the reservour each moring.

What are the chances of getting a bacterial infection from a growth in the tank hose etc? I am also wondering about added moisture in the lungs that may contribute to pneumonia or other lung dieses. does it hurt not to use any water?

I throw it out every morning. Cheap insurance in my view. I have enough trouble keeping my nose open, and don't want a chance of adding any additional mold from left over warm water.

Don't empty it! Just top it off. No problem. I've done mine for 6 months and beyond. Just look to see if you have any "strings" in it...then clean it.

Unless your tap water is like the bottom of the Kawauhari Swamp, then it should be perfectly OK to use it. Just empty it every night, flush out the tank and refill. This is what I've been doing for the whole of my CPAP expeience, with no issues whatsoever. The physics totally supports this point of view

But, the best thing to do is what you are comfortable with!!

K

I have been on CPAP therapy for almost 15 years now and while the humidifier was not even available when I started, I have had one for 12 or 13 years probably.

I almost always have used tap water and clean out the scale with vinegar.

I rarely get sick and have never come down with anything I could trace back to the humidifier.

However, everyone knows there individual needs and how easily or not they get sick, so you should do what works for you.

I have had my CPAP machine for about almost 4 years now. At the beginning of my treatment I was trying to use a humidifier, supplied with CPAP machine. But it was so much hassle. So, I’ve bought room humidifier in Brookston. You can control room humidity with it, and basically same air is going to your lungs through your CPAP.

rayt435 wrote:... I am using distilled water in the humidifier. Each evening I put the water in the container and then each morning empty out what is left. ...

If you use distilled water you don't need to dump the water. Just add more. Occassionally (if the water gets cloudy or smells) you will want to wash and rinse the humidifier. The manual that came with the unit includes instructions.

If you don't use distilled water, then you will need to dump the water daily, rinse it and refill it. You may also need to wash the unit more frequently, but if your tap water is fairly average you won't need to do too much with it.

By the way, I just use distilled water. I don't always use the humidifer, or often only run it in "passover" mode, so it uses less water. But then I've been using xPAP for a long time and my nose / throat is fairly well adjusted to it.

Hope that helps.