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How important is filtered or distilled water.
#11
RE: How important is filtered or distilled water.
(07-31-2013, 07:35 PM)FS560 Wrote: Is this one of the heated arguments that can go on and on.

Why yes, yes it is...

Here is an excerpt from the answer given by Brandon Peters, M.D. :

The safety and quality of your water supply may be the key consideration in deciding whether to use distilled water in the humidifier. Boiling water will kill microbes, but it will not remove minerals or chemical contaminants. Filtered water may remove some of the minerals but may not remove living organisms or other chemicals. Bottled water that has been distilled is certainly the safest option.

As for whether you're required to use distilled water in the CPAP humidifier: most manufacturers do recommend the use of distilled water. According to ResMed’s product website, the use of distilled water "will maximize the life of the water tub and reduce mineral deposits." The site also points out that it's okay to occasionally use tap water to clean the equipment. But since the water tub is typically replaced on a regular basis — perhaps every 6 months — maximizing the product life may not be a major concern. The degree of hard mineralization that is present will depend on your water supply.

If you're traveling to a part of the world where you don't trust the water supply, you should use distilled water in the humidifier. If water's not safe for you to drink, it's probably safer to not put it in your CPAP. Using distilled water in this case will minimize your exposure to potentially harmful substances. In addition, the use of tap water within Neti pots in Louisiana has led to a few reports of harmful parasite infections affecting the brain. The same risk has not been demonstrated with the use of CPAP, however.

Ultimately, you must be aware that you'll be exposing your lungs to the water placed in the humidifier, which may motivate you to clean it on a more regular basis. Moreover, you must not place any substances in the tank that would be harmful to breathe. Perfumes, cologne, or scented oils should not be placed in the water. Exposure to fumes from bleach, alcohol, chlorine or ammonia may damage your lungs. The use of moisturizing, antibacterial, and glycerine-based soaps is also discouraged. Water softeners and descaling agents should also not be used in the reservoir.

If you question the safety or quality of your water supply, err on the side of caution and use distilled water in your CPAP humidifier. This is especially true if you are traveling in regions of the world with unsafe water supplies. Tap water may lead to mineralization of your water tank and the potential for undesirable exposures and effects.


I think it's a pretty good answer.

Sleep-well
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#12
RE: How important is filtered or distilled water.
More then anything else, I use distilled water because tap water just smells. :-P We're not heavily chlorinated, here, but I can still smell it on the few odd times I've had to use it, after running out of distilled.
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#13
RE: How important is filtered or distilled water.
It has been said before in other threads but its worth repeating ...

The so-called 'Distilled' water is probably not distilled and is more likely to be to be produced by some other process to de-mineralise the water. That is fine if the object of the choice of water is to cut down on crusty mineral deposits in the tank.

It is however not sterile when you buy it - and certainly not after you open it for the first time. It is just as likely to contain biological contamination as the treated utility tap water.... although both are much much safer than untreated rainwater captured from a roof and stored in a tank.

I use store-bought demineralised water (that says 'Distilled' on the label) and keep it in the refrigerator after it has been opened.

I am NOT paranoid....
...but they ARE out to get me.


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#14
RE: How important is filtered or distilled water.
I have my own distiller, and that is the best way of course, do it yourself, but it can be a tiresome process. Still, you feel that you are doing it all yourself, which feels nice.
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#15
RE: How important is filtered or distilled water.
We have well water but still distill our drinking and cpap water. Just in case anything creeper gets into our water supply even though we test our water once ever two or three years. You
just never know.
Lee
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#16
RE: How important is filtered or distilled water.
(08-01-2013, 09:22 AM)Sevensox Wrote: We have well water but still distill our drinking and cpap water. Just in case anything creeper gets into our water supply even though we test our water once ever two or three years. You just never know.

Where I live the city water supply is rain/snow off of a local volcano. Rain and snow are basically distilled water. Some contaminants get into the water on the way to the city, but not much. However, if you live in the middle of North America your water supply is from wells. And much of the middle of North America was once an ocean, meaning your bedrock is limestone from zillions of years of shells landing on the sea floor. The calcium from limestone leaches into the water and builds up as crust formations on teakettles and everything else that you put water into. If you live in an area with high mineral content you should probably use distilled water. My water is close enough to distilled that I just use it straight from the tap.

For the distilled v. tap water argument there is no "one answer fits all."
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#17
RE: How important is filtered or distilled water.
For much of the world, distilled water is not readily available. Users in some parts of Europe and Australia report they can't find it easily, and it's expensive if they can find it.

In most of the US, you can get a gallon (4 liters) of distilled water for about a dollar.

ResMed sells humidifiers with the "dishwashable" water tank and does not recommend distilled water. They recommend daily cleaning of the tub. The tank does not say "distilled water only."

ResMed sells "non-dishwashable" tanks, mostly in the US, as far as I can tell. These used to be "non openable." Newer "non-dishwashable" tanks are openable. All the non-dishwashable tanks say "distilled water only."

The US version of the Respironics manuals specify distilled water. I don't know if they have different instructions for countries without readily available distilled water. The tanks are not marked "distilled water only." All Respironics tanks are openable for cleaning.

Get the free OSCAR CPAP software here.
Useful links.
Click here for information on the main alternative to CPAP.
If it's midnight and a DME tells you it's dark outside, go and check it yourself.
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#18
RE: How important is filtered or distilled water.
(08-02-2013, 02:37 AM)JJJ Wrote: Where I live the city water supply is rain/snow off of a local volcano. Rain and snow are basically distilled water. Some contaminants get into the water on the way to the city, but not much. However, if you live in the middle of North America your water supply is from wells. And much of the middle of North America was once an ocean, meaning your bedrock is limestone from zillions of years of shells landing on the sea floor. The calcium from limestone leaches into the water and builds up as crust formations on teakettles and everything else that you put water into. If you live in an area with high mineral content you should probably use distilled water. My water is close enough to distilled that I just use it straight from the tap.

Most of the citizens of "middle" America on community water systems get their water from surface water, not wells. Especially if you're in a metro area, which is most of the population, even in the middle of the country.

However, there's still a fair amount of dissolved minerals in the water.
Get the free OSCAR CPAP software here.
Useful links.
Click here for information on the main alternative to CPAP.
If it's midnight and a DME tells you it's dark outside, go and check it yourself.
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#19
RE: How important is filtered or distilled water.
(07-31-2013, 06:45 PM)DocWils Wrote: From a medical point of view, the introduction of impurities in a closed and concentrated system like a CPAP humidifier carries a risk when entering the lungs.

Yes, that's why swamp water shouldn't be used. Don't scoop the water out of your frog pond. Dielaughing

But seriously, the issue is not the water itself but the stuff that's mixed in with the water. Some water has lots of stuff mixed in with it and it is better to use water that has less stuff mixed in with it.

Translation:

1. If the water is not fit for human consumption, don't use it in your CPAP machine.

2. If you have water so hard that it leaves mineral deposits and causes problems in the laundry and bath, use distilled or purified water.


Water from a municipal water supply passes through a sediment filter followed by a water softener before it ever enters my house.

After several months of use I get a slight residue in the bottom of the CPAP humidifer tank which is easily removed by a swish of household vinegar.

Distilled water is less convenient for me and far too expensive and hard to find for many others who live in certain parts of the world.

I also like the fact that I can easily fill the tank from the hot water tap located less than two meters away from my CPAP machine.

Sleepster

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#20
RE: How important is filtered or distilled water.
Very new here [less than one week] and have been using distilled water. My former physician, in a casual conversation the other day, told me he uses water from a Brita filter.
I spend most of the winter in Mexico, and one of the resorts has a reverse osmosis system, so I am guessing I may not need distilled water there.
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