Humidifier cost help!

[Ricoh]

I (desperately) need a humidifier, but can't afford the $360 my DME wants for the H5i (I have an S9). Insurance will not pay for a humidifier at all.

I'm in Canada. It looks like I could order online from the US and maybe save $100-150 or so (depending on duty/taxes). Better, but the 2-3 week shipping and possible customs delays doesn't excite me much.

But what's my best option? Do I need the H5i itself, or if I can handle more manual control, is there a cheaper generic humidifier I can use? Since these things just connect to the outflow port on the CPAP, and are rather simple in design, is there a DIY option, or is that completely crazy?

[BlackSpinner]

No you can't order RESMED from the US.

Try clinicalsleep.com in vancouver. They don't post prices (because they are not allowed under contract) But call them and they will tell you the price. At one point they match close to cpap.com when you included shipping costs.

[Pugsy]

There is a stand alone humidifier that can be used with any machine. $150
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/fisher ... ifier.html
I don't know if there is a restriction on shipping F & P products to Canada like there is ResMed products.

If you can get the one that actually goes with your machine so that you can utilize the heated hose features...you would be ahead. Check with the place that Blackspinner mentioned. You will have to call them though to get prices.

I can't think of anything that you could do to fix up a DIY humidifier other than setting a bowl of water near the air intake of the machine and maybe getting some humidifier air pulled in that way. Would need to be super careful with it though...don't want to spill it onto your machine.

[greatunclebill]

i've heard of people going to http://www.myus.com/ and setting up a usa address for the supplier to ship it to. then myus ships it to you in canada. the way i understand it, resmed prohibits dealers from shipping from the usa, but forwarders like myus are a third party and not bound by resmed rules. i think you don't pay duty if the package is marked as medical equipment.

[nanwilson]

They do not charge duty or taxes for medical equipment to cross the border. I would order the F&P stand alone for $150 from cpap.com...it will take 2 weeks to get to you from Texas. Or, as blackspinner said give clinicalsleep a call, I have bought a resmed mask from them without any problem and only for a few $$ more than cpap.com.

[rosacer]

greatunclebill, thanks.

That information was interesting for me too. I just check and they say for a shipment to Canada a package 10 pounds (like a CPAP) they charge $78 USD via UPS of DHL or other I don't remember the name. They didn't offer USPS option and that is the less expensive for us. I know one of the them (maybe DHL) charges us with brokerage fees on top of their high shipping cost. The annual fee is low.

If you live not far from the border there is there is Kinek. They receive your package at their place and you go pick it up there. I
haven't use it.

I think the best wold be to try at clinicalsleep.com The cost will be the same once you calculate you would need to add the DHL cost if you buy in USA. I think shipping is free for items $100 and more, they are very efficient.

[Pugsy]

I just check and they say for a shipment to Canada a package 10 pounds (like a CPAP) they charge $78 USD via UPS of DHL or other I don't remember the name. They didn't offer USPS option and that is the less expensive for us.

I believe that cpap.com will use USPS for shipping to Canada. I think just need to ask. They are aware of the extra fees that the brokers get. The cost won't but much more than for a mask because a plain humidifier (the OP already has a blower) doesn't weigh much of anything at all. Canadians buy masks from cpap.com all the time...mailing USPS around $17 I think I have read.

[BlackSpinner]

Yes I bought a Hybrid from cpap.com and I received it (in Montreal) within 4 days. There were no border fees, just shipping by the post office fees.

[rosacer]

Pugsy

Yes cpap.com ships via USPS and the orders arrives very fast, without any problem at all and on top of that we are not charged by customs the federal or provincial taxes we are not supposed to pay for medical equipment. Cpap.com shipment service is gold !

I think I didn't explain well my idea, I was talking about the example you order a machine from USA.

It is right, at cpap.com for a mask and a lot of not heavy things the shipping fee is a flat $17, you can order several things not heavy in the same shipment and you will pay $17.

Our problem is Re$med. What I wanted to say is if Ricoh wants absolutely to buy a H5i humidifier it will be better for him to try the Vancouver's company, other way it will cost almost the same and will take more time to get it.

[Ricoh]

Ok, I'll check out the place in Vancouver, and good to confirm that cpap.com is still an option.

And if the H5i doesn't pan out for some reason, the F & P one Pugsy recommended looks like a good option, too.

I can't think of anything that you could do to fix up a DIY humidifier other than setting a bowl of water near the air intake of the machine and maybe getting some humidifier air pulled in that way. Would need to be super careful with it though...don't want to spill it onto your machine.

Putting moisture on the intake side of the S9 seems like a dangerous idea. Ok, not exactly life-and-limb dangerous, but dangerous to the electronics of the machine, isn't it? The H5i attaches to the output, not the intake.

Everyone: thanks for all the suggestions. I'm a little more hopeful now that I'll be able to find something much more affordable.

[sol]

No you can't order RESMED from the US.

Try here
http://1800cpap.com/
http://www.secondwindcpap.com/

[Pugsy]

Putting moisture on the intake side of the S9 seems like a dangerous idea. Ok, not exactly life-and-limb dangerous, but dangerous to the electronics of the machine, isn't it? The H5i attaches to the output, not the intake.

I don't know how much moisture might get actually inside the electronics.
Don't know how enclosed the air intake is. Whatever would come in via passover with water outside the air intake would be minimal at best.
Room air has moisture in it too. That gets sucked in all the time. When the relative humidity is 100% and it is raining and I am still using the machine, the moisture coming in is going to be much greater than a little passover humidity with the little dish of water outside the air intake.

It has been done and that is why I offered the idea. I have my doubts as to how much help it would really offer but I don't see it adding enough moisture to be a problem for the electronics.
It would offer less moisture than say a whole room humidifier would add to the general room air.

[Hawthorne]

I am in Canada. Cpap.com does ship via the Postal Service and have a setup so that there are no customs or duty charges since they sell medical equipment.

A humidifier would be light in weight so MIGHT ship for $17, as masks do. Actually the F&P one might cost a little more to ship since it may be somewhat heavier than the ones that go with the specific machines. You need to check with cpap.com if you decide on the F&P.

By the way, I use the F&P 150 stand alone with all the machines I have had. I am currently using it with a Devilbiss intellipap AutoAdjust. I have used it with Respironics machines. I just the way it deals with humidity. It is very easy to fill (great because I have Rheumatoid Arthritis) and the water chamber is very large. I am in London and use "passive" humidity (water in the chambr but no heat) for most of the year. I only need a setting of 1 or 2 even on the coldest driest winter days. I'm not trying to sell you the F & P but you should read about how it deals with humidity (info on cpap.com) and you will see how well it works. I've had mine fo years! I did buy the more substational water chamber after a short while.

I even bought another as a backup humidifier.

[5thumbs]

Cannot vouch for seller. I could potentially help with shipping ..

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/ele/3216485340.html

[-tim]

Ok, I'll check out the place in Vancouver, and good to confirm that cpap.com is still an option.

And if the H5i doesn't pan out for some reason, the F & P one Pugsy recommended looks like a good option, too.

I can't think of anything that you could do to fix up a DIY humidifier other than setting a bowl of water near the air intake of the machine and maybe getting some humidifier air pulled in that way. Would need to be super careful with it though...don't want to spill it onto your machine.

Putting moisture on the intake side of the S9 seems like a dangerous idea. Ok, not exactly life-and-limb dangerous, but dangerous to the electronics of the machine, isn't it? The H5i attaches to the output, not the intake.

Everyone: thanks for all the suggestions. I'm a little more hopeful now that I'll be able to find something much more affordable.

I've taken a few apart (people, take the tanks out before you move the machines!).
The electronics are very well protected. There is a computer board on the top that the display and push buttons are attached to and it sits above a mostly sealed chamber with a few precision holes for the pressure sensors to take readings.

The main problem with lots of humidity is there are two spongers for noise control that will hold the moister and whatever junk passes the filter. I would use the better hypoallergenic filters if you chose to do this. What an odd word to use for filters....a real hypoallergenic filter would imply below allergenic which means one thing if you're talking about makeup but the opposite if you talk about an environment. I guess its the same reason behind why the inverse of flammable isn't inflammable.