Slightly OT: Room Humidifer

[Kaylore]

I've been having some major dry eye that my eye doc. thinks it's caused by my cpap. I've been thinking of getting a humidifer for a while anyway for many reasons...allergies/respitory conditions among them. Anyway, I read they're helpful for dry eyes too. I know I want a cool one, not the heated kind. Past that no clue. Any ideas on a brand/type? Like I said I'd like a cool one, in a reasonable price range. And I hope this doesn't sound dumb but one that hopefully doesn't "spray" water everyplace as the only suitable place to place it in the room is near a power outlet & my oxygen machine plus will share a table with my cpap at night (I have a small room) & I don't think getting a shower would be good for any of them.

[jazzer4]

I have a Hunter and I love it.
There is no heating element that gets all crappy and needs to be cleaned.
Very easy to take care off. Big tank that last me for 2 nights.
Pretty quite and I keep it right next to my bed.
I have never seen an water outside the tank.
Hope this helps.
I do it for me skin in the colder months. My also aid in congestion.

[Big S]

I think it is a good idea. I have a Honeywell evaporative type and get 2-3 nights per water refill. With this you can select amount of humidity and fan speed and the rest is automatic. It is also easy to clean. Good luck.

[M.D.Hosehead]

I have experience with this topic. We own several valuable musical instruments, including a Steinway grand piano. My reading and discussions with instrument builders, including Steinway Corp. leads to the conclusion that Instruments, wooden ones, that is, do best with year-round humidity maintained at 40-50%. As it happens that's very comfortable for humans as well.

Thus I've used various humidification methods, and monitor the humidity with a sling psychrometer. Most people don't need that degree of accuracy. If you are comfortable and condensation isn't dripping down your windows, you're good.

Don't use a cool-mist vaporizer regularly. The minute water droplets they emit evaporate and leave behind even more minute particles of hardness minerals that settle on everything and add to the dust in your house.

A steam vaporizer keeps much but not all of the mineral load on the heating element; that's hard to clean and wears out rapidly with continuous use.

An evaporative console humidifier is the best choice for continuous use. The minerals and dirt are trapped in a pad that can be thrown away.

I've had good results with Kenmores. They last 5-10 years. No doubt other brands are just as good. A small unit is sufficient for a single room like a bedroom. It can go on the floor anywhere in the room. For a whole house, you will need one that can evaporate at least 10 gallons a day.

HOWEVER: if your eye symptoms are due to air leaking from the mask blowing onto your eyes, a room humidifier is unlikely to solve the problem.

[dtsm]

An evaporative console humidifier is the best choice for continuous use. The minerals and dirt are trapped in a pad that can be thrown away.

Vornado makes a very quiet unit, at low setting good for 36 hours before refill in bedroom. Costco $79.99 delivered [plus tax], Amazon $79.85 plus delivery and tax in some states.

[roster]

I've been having some major dry eye that my eye doc. thinks it's caused by my cpap. I've been thinking of getting a humidifer for a while anyway for many reasons...allergies/respitory conditions among them. Anyway, I read they're helpful for dry eyes too. I know I want a cool one, not the heated kind. Past that no clue. Any ideas on a brand/type? Like I said I'd like a cool one, in a reasonable price range. And I hope this doesn't sound dumb but one that hopefully doesn't "spray" water everyplace as the only suitable place to place it in the room is near a power outlet & my oxygen machine plus will share a table with my cpap at night (I have a small room) & I don't think getting a shower would be good for any of them.

Whoa! Let's not jump the gun and buy a humidifier just yet.

First, it often happens that CPAPers have a small mask leak during the night high on the cheek or near the bridge of the nose that is blowing air into the eye. I would look into this right away and if the mask is leaking into your eye(s) then the leak needs to be resolved.

Now let's talk about room humidity. Do you know what your room humidity is? The way to tell is with an inexpensive hygrometer, http://www.google.com/search?q=purchase ... a833fc8e14. One of the cheap ones from a pet shop is adequate but if you want something fancy looking you can find that also.

In the glorious South, of which Tennessee is a part, we have a lot of humidity year round and most homes don't need supplemental humidity except maybe for a few days in the coldest part of the winter. Once you determine what your room humidity is at various times of the year compare it with healthy levels. According to the Mayo Clinic, http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/humidifiers/HQ00076 , the optimum relative humidity for the wellbeing of a house as well as the health of its occupants is between 30 and 50% relative humidity.

Outside of this range the growth of bacteria, fungi, viruses as well as increased chemical offgassing and ozone production is promoted.

So be careful about buying and using a humidifier in Tennessee.

Good luck with resolving the dry eyes issue.

[Big S]

Thanks for target range on relative humidity. It gets dry as a bone in Ohio during winter months and I usually have trouble getting humidity into the high thirties. I check windows and walls for condensate during high use and cut back if I see or feel moisture. I dislike the feel when my cpap humidifier has to make up for very dry air. When using the room humidifier, I measure humidity as well as temperature in 2 places so I can make adjustments. Thanks again.

[SleepyBobby]

I saw dry eyes discussed in the book "how to tolerate cpap therapy for your sleep apnea" which you can find if you do a search for it. I'm not sure a room humidifier will help if the dry eyes are from your CPAP.

[roster]

If you want to get a little more specific about the healthy humidity range:



They need to add bedbugs to that chart.

[Kaylore]

Thanks everyone. All of your help is much appreciated.