Humidifier Water - Do You Dump Remaining Each Morning?

[Stevoreno_55]

I bet if you removed your water chamber from your machine each morning and held it up to the light and noticed particles floating around in the water you would empty it and rinse it out every day.

Nope, not every day even if I did spot something...I would wash it out that day but I sure wouldn't get all in a panic and start washing every thing every day. You would loose that bet for sure. Cleaning the tank daily ....never going to happen.

Most of my water is used up during one night due to my preferred settings...very little is left. Right before bed I take out the tank and top it off. While I have it out in the air I often will take a peak at the water to see if any lizards or bugs or fungi are swimming in there...never ever found even 1 mold spore, or lizard....the worse I had was a cat hair and probably fell off me...heck it might have been one of mine.. I did wash the thank then....Don't get me wrong....I do wash the tank sometimes....sometimes when I think about it and sometimes get around to it.
This particular machine...I have been using since first of January of this year. It's been washed.....once.
THis particular machine and tank have over 3000 hours on it. (obviously use by someone other than me)...the tank is still looking almost brand new. No pink slime on the bottom of the tank....no bugs doing the breast stroke across the water..

No one is going to scare me into doing any thing different. Save your typing fingers. I am a Taurus (birthday coming up)and I am stubborn and bullheaded and all that ....so don't try to "what if" me. What if I found so and so...well I wouldn't panic and I wouldn't change my non routine just because of 1 isolated thing.

Now I will say it again.....whatever floats your boat....use it/do it.....I don't care. I really really don't care how anyone takes care of their equipment. That's not my job anyway. It's not my job to setup cleaning schedules...and it really isn't someone else's job to try to set up a cleaning schedule that they think I should do and try rationalize the need to me.

That won't fly...I don't want to do it and I don't do stuff that I don't want to do. Simple as that. Hubby knows that.
When it comes to personal stuff like cleaning and not actual therapy pressure stuff....I rarely comment on cleaning just because I don't want to get the flack from "clean freaks"... Some people just can't mind their own business...and sigh...I get private messages telling me that I "NEED" "Should" do this or that because that person thinks its a better way to do something.

So that's way I avoid cleaning threads for the most part except to point people to the Novel size threads where it has been discuss ad nauseum. Someone invariably tries to change my mind by TELLING me what I should do....And that goes over not so well.
And that's why I don't go into great detail about what I do or don't do. Yeah..I am lax...but I am not a pig and I do look at things to make sure no critters are anywhere they should not be.

Pugsy:

I will have to say that is one very long post. Enjoy your weekend now you hear.



Stevoreno_55
MS Gulf Coast
05/03/14

[Lukie]

Because of the risk of fungal and bacterial infection, I dump my water and clean my chamber daily with warm water and Ivory soap. This topic has often been debated on most forums. Do what you are comfortable doing. If you have a healthy immune system and are comfortable not washing your equipment daily go ahead. My doctor advocates strict cleanliness. Others are comfortable with minimal cleaning. A CPAP induced pneumonia could kill me as I am elderly so I try to stay on the safe side.

[Jeannh]

I use over half the tank every night on a setting of 4.5. More than that and I tend to rainout.

One thing I can never figure out - I have condensation on the inside of my humidifier lid 24/7. Doesn't matter if the water is cold or hot. Why does it never dry?

This is the only reason I ever clean the tank, which never ever looks like anything has grown in it.

[SleepyStar]

getting the tank across the room to the sink and back with the crutches

Sorry to hear about the crutches situation, hope you will get better.

You could pour some distilled water into a smaller bottle, 32 oz for instance, and keep that bottle by your bedside to fill in the humidifier tank for a few days.

Yeah, I normally keep the jug by the cpap so I can set the tank on the bed and fill it ok it's just dumping it out in the morning right now is pretty not-fun. But eh. Getting by! Maybe I should get a funnel and then I can pour out the extra into one of the empty jugs for now and then I can get help with that jug once a week. I get the water at whatever grocery store I'm at so...I have bottles with different colored caps.

The doc thought it was a fracture at first, the xray came back clear so then he was thinking severe sprain but at the same time I still almost 2 weeks out can't put any pressure on that part of my foot while standing so I'm waiting on Worker's Comp to schedule the MRI (it was approved Wednesday), and I'm on light duty at work. Luckily I have a desk job, so things don't change too much. I'm making things work well enough, but I am definitely appreciating using both feet normally for this apartment now

[Drowsy Dancer]

I am curious about the number of documented cases of a CPAP user getting any sort of infection from their own water tank.

[ems]

I am curious about the number of documented cases of a CPAP user getting any sort of infection from their own water tank.

Wondering the same thing. My guess is not even one person...

[HoseCrusher]

Here is an interesting descriptive study

http://www.archbronconeumol.org/en/bact ... /13065222/

It mentions that upper respiratory tract infections associated with CPAP use is higher than those that don't use CPAP and using a humidifier causes the risk to go even higher. However they only saw a 22.2% risk so that means you have 77.8% chance of having no problems.

I think it comes down to how challenged your immune system is in daily life. I have grandchildren. If I ever get sick I will blame them and not my CPAP. Because I am frequently "swapping spit and snot" with them, I figure giving my body a break by frequent cleaning my mask and emptying the water out of my humidifier makes sense.

Either I am lucky to be part of the 77.8% that have no problems or my cleaning system actually helps...

[Wulfman...]

Please read!

From:

http : // www . fphcare . com/sleep-apnea/education-support/faqs/

(copy and paste the link in your browser and remove the spaces)

Category: "Humidity"

Can germs pass from the humidifier to me?

No, using a heated humidifier in line with your CPAP device will not cause you to become sick or give you germs. Fisher & Paykel Healthcare’s heated humidifiers are pass-over humidifiers that do not produce aerosols (the fine water droplets that are visible to the eye such as steam from a kettle). Pass-over humidifiers add moisture in the form of water vapor. Water vapor particles are smaller than bacteria or viruses so it is impossible for them to be transported up to the mask (and then to you). Even if pathogens (germs) were able to exist in the chamber, they would not be able to be transported to you. Refer to the diagram below which demonstrates the size of water vapor, bacteria and virus particles.

(Images of bacteria, viruses and water vapor)

The important thing to remember is that all equipment (especially your mask) needs to be cleaned thoroughly on a regular basis, so that it does not become a desirable environment for bacteria to live and grow. Follow the cleaning instructions for all equipment to ensure proper hygiene and cleaning.

.

Den

.

[xyz]

> Fisher & Paykel Healthcare’s heated humidifiers
> are pass-over humidifiers

When I started on xpap, there were pass-over humidifiers and there were heated humidifiers. And they weren't the same.

If your doctor just wrote "humidifier" on your prescription the DMEs gave you a "pass-over" humidifier, which was _not_ heated. (And consequently delivered very little humidity.)

You wouldn't get a _heated_ humidifier unless your doctor 1) used that word, 2) he checked the box on the prescription that says "do not substitute," and 3) you argued with the DME to do what the doctor said.

What, exactly, is F&P trying to say when they say that their "heated humidifiers are pass-over humidifiers"?

Don't all humidifiers pass air _over_ the water?

What else _can_ they do if they don't pass the air over? Pass it under?

[xyz]

> I am curious about the number of documented cases of a CPAP user getting any sort of infection from their own water tank.

Wrong question. Lots of people get sick -- talking in general here -- and never get it "documented."

Here's a little science:

humidity + heat + darkness = mildew/mold
(if not cleaned)

Think about your shower.

[old dude]

I use most of mine every night, leave what's left in the tank all day and top it off before bed the next night.

In 13 months of nightly use, I've washed my tank out once. I think. I empty it out to move my machine or travel by taking the top off, and the tank looks fine. Nothing growing or anything visible that shouldn't be there. I think I washed my tube out once too. I do wash my mask seal thoroughly every day. I've had that rouge fungus grow in my bathroom before so I do have some idea of the kind of stuff to watch out for.

Given I have diabetes my immune system probably isn't the best, but no problems I'm aware of.

[Wulfman...]

> Fisher & Paykel Healthcare’s heated humidifiers
> are pass-over humidifiers

When I started on xpap, there were pass-over humidifiers and there were heated humidifiers. And they weren't the same.

If your doctor just wrote "humidifier" on your prescription the DMEs gave you a "pass-over" humidifier, which was _not_ heated. (And consequently delivered very little humidity.)

You wouldn't get a _heated_ humidifier unless your doctor 1) used that word, 2) he checked the box on the prescription that says "do not substitute," and 3) you argued with the DME to do what the doctor said.

What, exactly, is F&P trying to say when they say that their "heated humidifiers are pass-over humidifiers"?

Don't all humidifiers pass air _over_ the water?

What else _can_ they do if they don't pass the air over? Pass it under?

They're all "pass-over" (whether heated or cool) with water vapor.......as opposed to "aerosolizing" (misting) droplets of water. (which would be in your next example of the shower)


Den

.

[HoseCrusher]

While they all pass air over the water, some like the ResMed S8 actually form some aerosol at higher flow rates...

I haven't tested other machines but if you turn your machine on and look at the water in the humidifier tank and see it just sitting there, your machine probably doesn't form an aerosol. On the other hand if the water is dancing around a lot, it may be different...

[Wulfman...]

While they all pass air over the water, some like the ResMed S8 actually form some aerosol at higher flow rates...

I haven't tested other machines but if you turn your machine on and look at the water in the humidifier tank and see it just sitting there, your machine probably doesn't form an aerosol. On the other hand if the water is dancing around a lot, it may be different...

Those were actually S7 machines (a generation older) in that old study you like to keep mentioning.
The humidifier tanks and output connectors were redesigned for the S8 series.


Den

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[Jeannh]

They're all "pass-over" (whether heated or cool) with water vapor.......as opposed to "aerosolizing" (misting) droplets of water.

Great info, and makes lots of sense! Now I can make a more informed cleaning decision! Thank you!