TO DISTILL OR NOT TO DISTILL

[Frankieboy]

I am in an area that apparently has no distilled water to put into my System One humidifier. Is there any harm in using bottled water instead for a few days? Apparently, it is either that or no humidifier, which my sinuses are already.

[Stormynights]

I am in an area that apparently has no distilled water to put into my System One humidifier. Is there any harm in using bottled water instead for a few days? Apparently, it is either that or no humidifier, which my sinuses are already.

I used bottled water on a 7 day cruise and had no problems at all.

[nanwilson]

No problem, just wash and dry your tank well before you go back to distilled water. I forgot to take my distilled water with me on a camping trip so just used bottled water and washed my tank once I got home. There are a few folks here that do not even use distilled water.... its a choice

[BlackSpinner]

I am in an area that apparently has no distilled water to put into my System One humidifier. Is there any harm in using bottled water instead for a few days? Apparently, it is either that or no humidifier, which my sinuses are already.

I used tap water for years until I moved to a place where the water smells bad. I switched one February when I chose not to haul a gallon of water along an icy sidewalk for 20 minutes while having pneumonia. I never looked back until I moved and got access to a car 2 years later. Just scrub your humidifier well after soaking it with water and vinegar once a week to remove the calcification.

[Frankieboy]

THANKS FOR THE FEEDBACK; I WILL DEFINITELY SLEEP BETTER TONIGHT.

[2 B Sleeping Soundly]

I always use bottled drinking water when I travel due to convenience/availability. The rest of the time while at home I use Distilled because our tap water here is so chlorinated it is disgusting as it tastes terrible and smells like a badly maintained swimming pool... YUCK . But they tell us residents that they are making it better by adding fluoride to the water for our teeth; I am sure they would claim it is also a benefit for my skin in the shower and my lungs in the humidifier as well...

[avi123]

No problems. Just boil the tapwater for 20 minutes and let it cool.

[BlackSpinner]

No problems. Just boil the tapwater for 20 minutes and let it cool.

No need to do that. The only reason not to use tap water is mineral deposits. If you don't like the smell of chlorine, just let it stand for a couple of hours, just like you do for an aquarium.
The water you are breathing is from evaporation - which is similar to distilling it, you are not snorting water it up your nose.

[chunkyfrog]

But you ONLY want to use distilled water in your neti pot! (or sterile bottled water, I suppose)

[BlackSpinner]

But you ONLY want to use distilled water in your neti pot! (or sterile bottled water, I suppose)

That is what I meant. It is not the same.

[hyperlexis]

WalMart sells a gallon of distilled water for less than a dollar. A gallon will last me a few weeks. I guess there may be some areas without WalMarts or other stores selling it distilled water, but I would not use standard tap water in a CPAP unless for an emergency for a few nights when traveling, etc.

Mineral buildup on the surface of a humidifier chamber from non-distilled could serve as a breeding ground for bacteria and I wouldn't want that.

Ultimately if you live so far out in the sticks you just cant find any distilled water to buy, ever, consider buying a countertop distiller unit. Ebay is a good source. Especially for finding used units.

[jdm2857]

If your tap water does not have very high mineral content and you don't run the humidifier dry,
the minerals will stay in solution. It's important to not top off the tank when using tap water. That
will keep adding more minerals to the water. Dumping and refilling is the way to go.

If you do run it dry, adding a little straight vinegar will dissolve the minerals. Occasional use of vinegar
will not hurt the plastic tank, the stainless steel heat plate or the gasket. Twice in the last four
years I've found a the start of fuzzy film growing on the plastic. The acid in the vinegar takes care
of that, too.

I've been using the same tank for years. It's still crystal clear.

[archangle]

If you can drink it, it won't harm you to breathe the vapors from tap water.

Dump the water every morning to help keep minerals from building up.

At worst, you'll have to clean and maybe replace the water tank more often.

[newsnore]

I have only ever used tap water. Our house water is filtered through a basic filter system. I get 2 - 3 nights use from one fill of the humidifier, and then I empty the remnants out, give it a good rinse out and refill it. I haven't had any issues with staining or scale build up. Actually I have just arrived back from 6 weeks travel in the UK and I only ever filled it from the bathroom basin tap wherever I was staying - no problems whatsoever. If it ever needs it, I will flush the humidifier with vinegar - but so far, after over six months use of my present humidifier, it looks as clean as it was when new. I think the distilled water thing could be over hyped a bit - except for where water has high mineral content - I suppose that is what manufacturers are covering themselves for, otherwise someone would try using pond water or sea water.

[hyperlexis]

If you can drink it, it won't harm you to breathe the vapors from tap water.

Dump the water every morning to help keep minerals from building up.

At worst, you'll have to clean and maybe replace the water tank more often.

Drinking and inhaling are two different things. One body system can kill certain organisms, and one cannot.

http://www.clinicaladvisor.com/rare-amo ... le/219925/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legionellosis

Tap water is far from sterile. For goodness sakes, just pay the 80 cents and buy the distilled water.

You can reuse coffee grounds the next day too but would you really want to?