Cleaning Humidifier Reservoir while useing Tap water

[hueyy]

I use CLR Calcium, Lime & Rust Remover and It WORKS GREAT

Yes I se city tap water too

Just Replace { pour out }the water when it gets low because real low water in tank has more minerals' in it

When built up shows in Humidifier Reservoir soak it in CLR Calcium, Lime & Rust Remover while at work [If you do } then Rinse out 4-5 times good

[LSAT]

CLR is a lot more expensive than distilled water....and with distilled water you never have to clean the humidifier cup...(unless you really want to).

[WindCpap]

You should replace your water every day (whether using tap water or distilled water). Stagnant water will grow mold and algae. The chlorine that protects your tap water is gone within hours of being exposed to the air. You really don't want to be breathing in mold spores.

My DME told me to empty the tank, and leave it open up-side-down every day to dry it out.

[LSAT]

You should replace your water every day (whether using tap water or distilled water). Stagnant water will grow mold and algae. The chlorine that protects your tap water is gone within hours of being exposed to the air. You really don't want to be breathing in mold spores.

My DME told me to empty the tank, and leave it open up-side-down every day to dry it out.

That's not true...(I wouldn't believe anything a DME tells me) I have been using nothing but distilled water for the 18 months I have had my S9. I have "rinsed out" the reservoir maybe 2 -3 times in that period. Otherwise I simply add water every 2 days. It is crystal clear.

[Krelvin]

That's not true...(I wouldn't believe anything DME a tells me) I have been using nothing but distilled water for the 18 months I have had my S9. I have "rinsed out" the reservoir maybe 2 -3 times in that period. Otherwise I simply add water every 2 days. It is crystal clear.

Ditto... though I add distilled water to the tank nightly.

[Wulfman...]

You should replace your water every day (whether using tap water or distilled water). Stagnant water will grow mold and algae. The chlorine that protects your tap water is gone within hours of being exposed to the air. You really don't want to be breathing in mold spores.

My DME told me to empty the tank, and leave it open up-side-down every day to dry it out.

Again........totally NOT true and absurd!
Chicken Little: "The sky is falling, the sky is falling......run for your lives!!!!"
Mold spores would have to come from somewhere in the dwelling and would have to get past the filters to get into your machine. You'd be breathing it during the time you were not connected to the XPAP machine breathing filtered air.
If it DID get into your machine, it would need some time to grow. Not going to happen in sterile, distilled water.

These "scare tactics" are ridiculous.
"Drying" an HH tank is more inclined to allow impurities into it......and totally unnecessary. If you feel you really MUST clean your equipment, do it before bedtime and drying would be unnecessary as you'd be putting water back into the tank anyway. A little extra humidity added to your HH air would be beneficial anyway.

And, I wouldn't believe ANYTHING a DME told me.


Den

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[chunkyfrog]

I just noticed flecks of unknown nature floating in the bottom of my tank.
Probably time to wash it. Thanks for the reminder.
It has been six months since I last washed my tank. Father, forgive me.

[WindCpap]

So I suppose all medical advise about all humdifiers (cpap or otherwise) is all wrong? Got to love people who think they know better.

[chunkyfrog]

We are not all alike, in spite of the wishes of lazy providers.

[Wulfman...]

So I suppose all medical advise about all humdifiers (cpap or otherwise) is all wrong? Got to love people who think they know better.

Do what YOU feel comfortable with.
Heck, if you want to clean it every hour during the night, it won't bother ME in the least.

But, sometimes a person needs to think about this stuff in a logical manner. And, that varies among those of us who have been at this for various lengths of time.
The first morning after I started therapy, I dumped my tank of distilled water......it was still so nice and clear.......and I wondered why in the heck I did that.......it was a waste of water.......and I quit doing that.

And, I don't use heated humidity which makes my gallon of distilled last for several (about 3) months. But, I DO dump my tank and rinse it when I start a new gallon of distilled. I DID actually take my tank apart to "clean" it once......about 4 years ago.

No mold growing in my area/house either. It's too dry.


Den

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[Hose_Head]

So I suppose all medical advise about all humdifiers (cpap or otherwise) is all wrong? Got to love people who think they know better.

The thing to keep in mind is that "medical advice" is designed and presented for the lowest common denominator. That is, it's advice intended for those who mindlessly go about use of the therapy. They need to be told what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. And there needs to be a very large safety margin in the instructions so as to absolutely minimize any potential problems because small problems are likely to go unnoticed and uncorrected for very long periods of time - in the end, becoming large problems. It also helps to remember that these "medical professionals" don't want to be sued for malpractice because they recommended a non-conservative approach!

If you seek to understand the rationale behind the recommended procedures and if you are willing to keep an eye out for the onset of any problems, then there is no problem in reducing the recommended regimen. So long as the program you do follow is working for you, there is no problem.

It helps to keep in mind that:

- the recommendation for use of distilled water is intended to reduce the amount of carbonates that build up over time in the bottom of the humidifier tank. If other methods to reduce the amount of carbonates are used, or the carbonates are removed from the tank before they can build up to any appreciable extent are just as effective at meeting this end purpose

- periodic cleaning of the humidifier tank is intended to reduce/eliminate any bacterial / viral growth that may occur in the tank, with a side benefit that it also may remove any carbonate that might build up between cleanings. Cleaning more frequently than is necessary to achieve this is pointless, but the trick is to know when cleaning is necessary. It is often difficult to tell when cleaning is necessary and my opinion is that most of us probably don't clean often enough. A mitigating factor here is that most of us also have strong enough immune systems such that a few bacteria or viruses don't hurt us anyway (after all, you breath pretty much the same air through your cpap as you do without your cpap).

My personal recommendations are:

- use whatever potable water you wish in your humidifier tank.
- dumping the tank and refilling with clean water every day can help to reduce the speed of calcification in the tank.
- de-calcify the humidifier tank at the first onset of any deposits on the bottom of the tank (it will feel a little rough to the touch). To do this, fill the tank with a 50-50 mix of vinegar and water and let it soak for a minimum of a half hour, followed with a soap and water cleaning.
- wash the humidifier tank in soap and water as often as you feel is necessary, but in any event, wash it thoroughly if you notice a slippery feel inside the tank or notice floaters in the water (these indicate slime growth in the tank). The best way to wash the tank is in the dishwasher.
- replace the tank if washing is ineffective in dealing with growth in the tank.

The frequency of any of this is dependent on the quality of water that you use (use of distilled water will minimize cleaning frequency) and environmental factors. You'll have to decide on what works best for you.

Or, if you don't want to monitor the situation, just follow the advice given by your medical professionals!