Humidifier: Distilled Water...How often do you change?

[Vader]

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The distillers are dirt cheap & can be ordered over the net. I paid less than 1/2 what is quoted in this link - http://www.vitality4life.com/au/water-w ... iller.html

Cheers DSM

I have that distiller. I threw away the collection bottle that it comes with because it contains BPA.
Seeing that the distilled water that comes out is at first, fairly warm, that increases BPA contamination.
I got a nice plastic jug from Wallyworld that is BPA free, it was only $2 (US dollars) and it fits perfectly.

Vader,

Thanks for that suggestion - I still have the original plastic container. I'll do some looking for some safer material.

DSM

No problem. A lot of people aren't aware that it contains BPA, and a company spokesperson did admit it to me, but claimed that studies aren't conclusive on BPA dangers! (Now that's a laugh)
However, they do offer a glass collection bottle, but it is VERY high dollar. That's why I settled for an ordinary, but safe, plastic collection bottle, thanks to Wallyworld.

[Alshain]

I thought about a distiller but they AREN'T dirt cheap (at least not to me). Plus you have to weigh it's use against the cost analysis of the bottled distilled water. Distilled water costs a little over $1 per gallon. You use about 1 cup of water per night (assuming you use that much). I'm going to do a little estimating here but you can get the information yourself if you measure your approximate water usage and research the cost of distilled in your area.

1 Gallon = 16 cups
$1 = 16 nights.

The distiller linked here costs $450.
16 x 450 = 7200 nights

That means it would take ~19 years for the distiller to pay for itself. Do you think it will survive that long?

EDIT: I should mention as a devil's advocate that the distiller can be used for drinking water among other things (like aquariums). So it may be more of value to you if you think you will use it that frequently. However drinking distilled water robs you of minerals you should be getting, so it's not ideal compared to R/O or activated carbon filtering.

[Vader]

I thought about a distiller but they AREN'T dirt cheap (at least not to me). Plus you have to weigh it's use against the cost analysis of the bottled distilled water. Distilled water costs a little over $1 per gallon. You use about 1 cup of water per night (assuming you use that much). I'm going to do a little estimating here but you can get the information yourself if you measure your approximate water usage and research the cost of distilled in your area.

1 Gallon = 16 cups
$1 = 16 nights.

The distiller linked here costs $450.
16 x 450 = 7200 nights

That means it would take ~19 years for the distiller to pay for itself. Do you think it will survive that long?

EDIT: I should mention as a devil's advocate that the distiller can be used for drinking water among other things (like aquariums). So it may be more of value to you if you think you will use it that frequently. However drinking distilled water robs you of minerals you should be getting, so it's not ideal compared to R/O or activated carbon filtering.

I got my Megahome distiller approximately 5 years ago for $99. it costs about $129 or so, now.
It has definitely already paid for itself. I also buy a product called "Concentrace Trace Mineral Drops"
it's very inexpensive and makes the water taste excellent for drinking use. When I use for xpap, I just don't add the drops.

[Alshain]

I got my Megahome distiller approximately 5 years ago for $99. it costs about $129 or so, now.
It has definitely already paid for itself. I also buy a product called "Concentrace Trace Mineral Drops"
it's very inexpensive and makes the water taste excellent for drinking use. When I use for xpap, I just don't add the drops.

Definitely a much better deal then. I haven't seen any that price, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. Like I said, you have to do the math yourself to make it work. I also live in the city with Brookshires distribution facility... where they distill the water... so it may be cheaper for me. Everyone will have a different situation.

[Tiaza]

I use enough distilled water that my tank won't run dry at night. In the morning, I pour what's left into a jug marked "Used" to use for watering orchids, for the iron, and for a steamer that requires distilled water.

But I won't reuse CPAP water. I also keep a glass of drinking water by my bed, and I get a clean glass every night instead of just adding a little more water to the glass. So no way would I just add a little more water to something that goes right into my lungs.

In the morning I rinse out the tank and let it air dry in a cabinet. Once a week instead of saving the leftover water, I mix a little rubbing alcohol with the water that's left in the tank and let the CPAP run for about 15 minutes. The tech at my pulmonologist's office said that will clean the machine better than a Soclean, and it's super cheap. I still try to clean the tubes and mask once a week, but I probably clean the equipment twice a month really.

Please research machines like the Soclean. They clean with ozone (O³) which is toxic and a carcinogen. While the one that cleans with light is not harmful like the ozone one, it can only clean where the light can reach. And change the water! It's cheap enough

[Goofproof]

Another post recycled from the Way Back Machine, too bad we can't dump the Way Back Machine Daily.

Just make sure you dispose of Distilled Water correctly, we'd hate to find it cropping up in our Water supply! Also don't put it in the toilet, it's too soft and may soften the bowl. Jim

[Pugsy]

Another post recycled from the Way Back Machine, too bad we can't dump the Way Back Machine Daily.

I know some people find it annoying to have old threads resurrected but the cold hard fact of life is that the Goodman's have elected to NOT put a time limit on when a topic can be responded to.

People spend time bitching about it and are wasting their time and energy doing so.
Folks....it's not going to change things to keep bitching about it. It's not against the forum rules.

To Everyone.....

Just don't read replies to old threads if it annoys you so much....the original date of the thread is clearly shown on the main forum page and you don't have to open the thread to figure out if the thread is old or not.
Then you won't have to waste storage band width bitching about resurrected threads or your time typing it.

[zonker]

I use enough distilled water that my tank won't run dry at night. In the morning, I pour what's left into a jug marked "Used" to use for watering orchids, for the iron, and for a steamer that requires distilled water.

But I won't reuse CPAP water. I also keep a glass of drinking water by my bed, and I get a clean glass every night instead of just adding a little more water to the glass. So no way would I just add a little more water to something that goes right into my lungs.

your responding to a nine year old thread.

and i don't know why you think the water left in your humidifier tank is somehow bad for you.

Please research machines like the Soclean. They clean with ozone (O³) which is toxic and a carcinogen. While the one that cleans with light is not harmful like the ozone one, it can only clean where the light can reach. And change the water! It's cheap enough

+1 soclean sucks. soap and water is all you need.

and daily unscented baby wipe on the mask.

[palerider]

I use enough distilled water that my tank won't run dry at night. In the morning, I pour what's left into a jug marked "Used" to use for watering orchids, for the iron, and for a steamer that requires distilled water.

But I won't reuse CPAP water. I also keep a glass of drinking water by my bed, and I get a clean glass every night instead of just adding a little more water to the glass. So no way would I just add a little more water to something that goes right into my lungs.

your responding to a nine year old thread.

and i don't know why you think the water left in your humidifier tank is somehow bad for you.

You can't explain people's irrational behavior... By definition.

I can't see it doing the poor orchids any good.

[zonker]

You can't explain people's irrational behavior... By definition.

I can't see it doing the poor orchids any good.

dunno. just googled orchids and distilled water.

apparently, it's a thing.

[palerider]

You can't explain people's irrational behavior... By definition.

I can't see it doing the poor orchids any good.

dunno. just googled orchids and distilled water.

apparently, it's a thing.

Huh, well, I learned something

[chunkyfrog]

My $20 (clearance) distiller has worked for nearly 10 years.
At under 20 cents a gallon for electricity, I think I broke even a few years ago.
Looking at the actual science vs internet hysteria, (IMO), BPA is mostly a mental problem.

[Lifeisabeach]

I use enough distilled water that my tank won't run dry at night. In the morning, I pour what's left into a jug marked "Used" to use for watering orchids, for the iron, and for a steamer that requires distilled water.

But I won't reuse CPAP water. I also keep a glass of drinking water by my bed, and I get a clean glass every night instead of just adding a little more water to the glass. So no way would I just add a little more water to something that goes right into my lungs.

Way overkill in my opinion, and most others as you can see. Here's a simple fact: if your equipment is kept properly and regularly cleaned, and you are using "properly" distilled water, then there is no "food" for pathogens to feed on and grow. Whatever pathogens that enter your lungs are coming in from the air around you already and normally no matter how often you replace that water... it makes zero difference.

Now here's something that's been my experience. I started getting sinus infections when I first got started on BiPAP and I was using bottled distilled water at first. At some point I read a tip that even though the water may start out as distilled, it can get contaminated during the bottling process. What I personally use now is deionized water dispensed on demand from the FreshPure Waters units that Whole Foods and some other grocers have in store. These things deionize the water and blast it with UV as they dispense. I use a stainless steel Kleen Kanteen for storage that is simply washed in the dishwasher before refill and since switching to this, I've had no sinus infections. Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe it was just the particular brand of distilled water we were getting. I have no idea. But if the bottled distilled water I was getting was in fact contaminated at the bottler, then using that and changing it out daily wouldn't have made it less contaminated. Sitting in the bottle vs in the water chamber wouldn't make it less contaminated. So bottom line, if you take care to ensure your water is "properly" distilled (whether you do it yourself as someone else mentioned doing or use a reliable, trusted source), then sticking to a more sensible cleaning schedule is perfectly safe.

In the morning I rinse out the tank and let it air dry in a cabinet. Once a week instead of saving the leftover water, I mix a little rubbing alcohol with the water that's left in the tank and let the CPAP run for about 15 minutes. The tech at my pulmonologist's office said that will clean the machine better than a Soclean, and it's super cheap. I still try to clean the tubes and mask once a week, but I probably clean the equipment twice a month really.

I don't understand how that is supposed to be able to clean the machine, or what exactly they are considering "the machine" to be here (there's no way this could be cleaning literally the entire machine from the air intake onwards, which is unnecessary anyway). Some resources say not to soak anything in rubbing alcohol because it will break down the silicon and other materials, but adding it to water? I would think that even vaporized, if it's doing anything at all, then it would do that same thing too, but more slowly.

[Goofproof]

In my house No Stools were harmed! I just dumped the water in the approved drain. As time wore on, I stopped using the HH completely, going to a Bubba Stainless Steel Mug, holds Ice and Water well over 12 hours. (And I use Brita filtered water in it)

Just checked my HH tank, still no buildup in it, Not much moisture in the XPAP Bag, I guess. Jim

[Okie bipap]

The use of distilled water and whether to dump it every morning or not is a matter of personal choice just as the level of cleaning one is comfortable with. We all do what we are comfortable with, and as long it doesn't endanger your health or damage your machine, continue doing it. I know what my wife and I are comfortable with, and that is what we do.