Is humidification necessary when the air is humid?

I’m been using a ResMed Airsense 10 for eight years (except for a brief and unhappy interlude with the Phillips Respironics Dream Station 2), and for the first time I wondered if I really need to have the humidification turned on when the air is humid, as it is right now in the Boston area, or does the machine itself automatically adjust to humid air?
Thanks in advance for your response. This forum has been a godsend to me over the years.

Humidification is a comfort issue...You use it if it make your sleeping more comfortable. There is no right or wrong decision on humidification. If you feel the air is very humid try turning the humidification off or to a very low setting. If that is not comfortable. increase the setting.

bettiola wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 04, 2023 11:34 pm

does the machine itself automatically adjust to humid air?

The machine has a humidity sensor in it and when it is humid then it won't use as much water trying to maintain whatever humidity selection you have made.

The machine adjusts *and* the humid air blowing over the water will simply take less water.

In the winter months my hygrometer stays rock solid at 10%. I wake up to a near empty humidifier tank.

The last few weeks it's been between 60% and 80% relative humidity. The tank is a at most a quarter to half an inch below the fill line. I haven't changed the humidity setting on my ResMed (3).

i asked myself this about 8 years ago. Ditching the humidifier was the best cpap decision I ever made. It was so liberating! But as was previously said, it's a comfort and personal decision. I say ditch it!


Sheriff

I'm going to be in Boston area soon, and am traveling with only the CPAP half of my S9 Resmed, so will test out no humidity. Have been trying it at home here in California, and it seems fine even in lower humidity. I squirt a little saline nasal spray in my nostrils.

bettiola wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 04, 2023 11:34 pm

I wondered if I really need to have the humidification

It's an individual thing. I never use the humidifier. Turn it down in steps.

If you are using a climate tubing and have the humidity to off, what temperature should one set the tube temperature in a humid environment?

mets123 wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 07, 2023 8:43 am

If you are using a climate tubing and have the humidity to off, what temperature should one set the tube temperature in a humid environment?

There is no black and white answer to your question because the real critical factor in condensation happening is the ambient room temp and not ambient humidity.
The cooler you keep the ambient room temps the more you have to increase the heated hose air temp.

Thanks Pugsy, I didn’t realize that having the humidity off and just adjusting the tube temperature can result in rainout. I have been keeping my tube temperature on the cool side with the air conditioning running in my room. I will up the tube temperature and see if that resolves the rainout, thanks so much.
I guess it doesn’t matter if your using a heated tube or a slimline tube you could still get rainout even with the humidity set to off?

mets123 wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 07, 2023 10:47 am

I guess it doesn’t matter if your using a heated tube or a slimline tube you could still get rainout even with the humidity set to off?

The most common moisture producer when we either turn off the humidifier and/or don't have water in the chamber is our own body.
When we exhale our breaths.... those breaths are moisture laden and go into the mask and maybe any short hose attached.
That exhaled moisture can condense in the mask or hose if the ambient air temp is cool enough.
I know people living in the high desert and not using a humidifier at all (think S9 model without humidifier attached) who still battle condensation in the mask or hose. Can't even blame partial added moisture from passover humidity.

This is why short hose cozies and/or barrel cozies are priceless. They can help when it's the moisture in our own exhaled breath that is condensing and giving us those annoying cold showers out the vent holes.

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 07, 2023 11:30 am

This is why short hose cozies and/or barrel cozies are priceless. They can help when it's the moisture in our own exhaled breath that is condensing and giving us those annoying cold showers out the vent holes.

i have to fight the humidity every damned summer into fall and then winter into spring. but the barrel cozie is my best friend.

though i use everything in my battle against rainout. i'm just SO happy right now that i've had it dialed in for a few months.

i just need to write down what steps i take and put it someplace where i can find it!

Thanks again for the educational session Pugsy, I will try raising my tube temperature tonight and hopefully will resolve this issue .

Thanks, everyone, for the good education on humidity. I may experiment with having it turned off or at least turned down.
I’m so grateful for this forum, thanks again!
Pugsy, you are such a font of knowledge!

I leave my Climateline hose set the same year round.
The only difference is how much water I need to add each night.