Distilled water really needed ?

[Otter]

Distilled water is cheap and it looks like a gallon will last about two weeks. For me, the reduced maintenance is well worth the pennies.

I was opening up a port by disconnecting the Climateline so that the Climateline wouldn't stay wet all day. Should I not be doing that?

I just run the machine for about three minutes after I dump the humidifier. Between that and faint breeze of the cool down cycle, the hose and humidifier dry out.

[EO]

I'm a cpap newbie with one night under my belt... I mean mask. I have a ResMed unit with heated humidifier and this is the thing that concerns me most about cpap therapy. My DME rep told me I need to use distiller water and wash out the tank every day. I don't mind the distiller water, and I certainly don't want to breathe moldy water (ack!) but I was hoping a user could tell me if changing out the distilled water is really necessary every single day, because I see some posts that show different. Is distiller water less likely to get scummy?

[archangle]

Lots of people have reported using distilled water and only emptying out the tank every 6 months or so and not seeing any problems or scum in the water when they do finally empty it out.

I use distilled water, and wash my tank in the dishwasher once a week or so. I don't empty it between washes. The water always looks good when I empty it.

If I fill a glass with my tap water and leave it out to dry, it looks disgusting when dried out.

[Otter]

Is distiller water less likely to get scummy?

Yes, though distilled isn't necessarily sterile, and wouldn't stay sterile once you open the bottle anyway, it will have fewer microorganisms than tap. It also won't have any minerals to feed the bugs or cling to the the inside of your chamber.

If you change the water every day, you'll be able to go longer without cleaning. The problem is that some particles will get past your filter into the distilled water. Others will find their way in from the hose when the blower is completely off. Some of these particles will be alive, and others will be nutrients that will support life. Some will probably be algae that can get most of what they need from the air if they get enough light. The longer you wait, the richer the water becomes.

Besides flushing out whatever gets in there, the other advantage to dumping the water every day is that you allow the chamber to dry out. This will kill some of the microrganisms that are in the chamber, and at least stop the rest from growing and reproducing until you ad more water. If the chamber is dry during the day when there is adequate light, that will really slow the algae down.

I've been at this for 3 1/2 months now, I've never cleaned my humidifier chamber, except to shake it little sometimes before I pour the water out, and it looks brand new. The metal is bright, the plastic is clear. There are no spots at all. Distilled water is cheap and it only takes a moment to pour it out. Why not?

My mother, OTOH, never dumps hers and cleans it about once a month. Sometimes she goes longer. She's never had a problem either, and she's been doing this for five years. But her M series humidifier doesn't let in as much light as the S9's H5i. Covering the window on the H5i isn't a bad idea, but I've never bothered.

Either way will work. Choose whatever fits your lifestyle and works with your immune system.

[EO]

Thanks so much for the quick replies. I'm navigating this site from my phone and didn't realized it replaced "distilled" with "distiller". I hate when technology has a mind of it's own.

Can anyone tell me how you know if there is too much humidity? What would I experience? Also, if I use the humidifier but don't want to fool with it when I travel, is it terribly unpleasant to go without it if you are used to the humidified air? I realize this probably varies greatly between people, I'm just looking for stories/info. I think I'm still at the anxiety "I don't know how I'm going to do this long term" phase.

[Otter]

Can anyone tell me how you know if there is too much humidity? What would I experience?

Either it would feel too humid to you, or you'd have water condensing in the hose or the mask. In the latter case, your face would probably itch as water droplets trickle slowly down your nose, and you might hear a chuffing gurgle from the tubing. This is the dreaded "rainout".

Also, if I use the humidifier but don't want to fool with it when I travel, is it terribly unpleasant to go without it if you are used to the humidified air? I realize this probably varies greatly between people, I'm just looking for stories/info. I think I'm still at the anxiety "I don't know how I'm going to do this long term" phase.

I'd never even try it without the humidifier. YMMV. What settings do you use at home?

[kempo]

It just depends on how much cleaning you want to do. I use nothing but distilled water and I have cleaned my humidifier tub twice in during a one year period and both times I am thinking why am I cleaning this it looks brand new. A gallon of distilled water at Wally World is 89 cents. I will use a gallon every 5 to 6 weeks thats less than 10 bucks a year. I'll do that and not worry about the cleaning.

[archangle]

EO, try your machine without the humidifier a few nights at home and see how it works.

Interesting question about too much humidity. If it's not uncomfortable or doesn't rain out, is there any health problem from too much humidity in the breathing air?

Air will only hold a certain amount of humidity at each temperature, so it can't get any higher than that.

In theory, crud in the humidifier tank doesn't matter that much since it's only water vapor that you inhale, not droplets from the tank. It's sort of being distilled as it comes out of the tank. I want my humidifier water nice and clean, though. I suppose a really bad mineral buildup on the metal plate could make it difficult to heat the water.

[Eo]

My humidifier is set on 2 (only done this for one night) it seemed like the water level had not changed at all in the morning, leaving me to wonder "is this working as intended?" I dumped out the water in the morning, but it's very difficult to wash/dry (ResMed something....) I have a busy and unpredictable life (and family) and I'm still figuring out how I'm going to fit this machine into it. Thanks for the info!

[ozze_dollar]

I just use filtered water from the kitchen.I wash the tank once a week. Even my CPAP instructor says once a week is enough. Never had a problem and the tank always looks clean.

[The Texan]

I look at it as pay now or pay later. I changed my humidifier after 30 months and it has had NOTHING but distilled water in it. Where we stay in Texas, the water is nasty and I know of folks ruining a tank in as little as 6 months and at $25 ±, that can be expensive. Distilled water for those 30 months cost me the same $25±, but the tank lasted 30 months instead of 6.

[DaveMunson]

If you had my water, no. (I have excellent well water).

If you have city water, or treated water, distilled water may be the better route. Pour a glass of water in a clean glass and leave it out for a week. How's it look?

[archangle]

My humidifier is set on 2 (only done this for one night) it seemed like the water level had not changed at all in the morning, leaving me to wonder "is this working as intended?" I dumped out the water in the morning, but it's very difficult to wash/dry (ResMed something....) I have a busy and unpredictable life (and family) and I'm still figuring out how I'm going to fit this machine into it. Thanks for the info!

Eo, please sign up for an ID on this board. Then go into your profile in the control panel and fill in your equipment. Select the text display option. We'll be able to give you better info that way.

[EO_123]

I think (hope) I got myself properly registered and my equipment updated.

Just in case my machine is a resmed S8 Escape II and the humidifier an H4i. The mask is by respironics and is a profile lite gel nasal mask. I don't have any software because I didn't know any better when I got the machine (yesterday) but it does have a chip my DME can read (I know that's not really ideal)

[EO_123]

I think (hope) I got myself properly registered and my equipment updated.

Just in case my machine is a resmed S8 Escape II and the humidifier an H4i. The mask is by respironics and is a profile lite gel nasal mask. I don't have any software because I didn't know any better when I got the machine (yesterday) but it does have a chip my DME can read (I know that's not really ideal)