Water change

[Kadenz]

I always throw away the excess distilled water, let the tank air-dry daily, and wash in mild soapy water once a week - which I believe is what ResMed recommends.

As the machine blows the humidified air down my windpipe and therefore into my lungs, I don't want to take any unnecessary hygiene risks.

[Sleepster]

I get slime if I don't dump in the morning and let air dry during the day.

I have a water softener and use tap water.

[PaytonA]

I dump any excess every day. However, I don't fill to capacity every day. I find that I use more in colder weather (less humidity) and more in warmer weather. I have gotten fairly good at only having a small amount each morning. If you use distilled water as recommended keep in mind that the air passing over the water is room air and contains all sorts of things that can contaminate the water over time.

PS - am Texan but only a small part of the above is "hot air"......

According to your profile you are an Alabaman who uses more water in cooler weather and more water in warmer weather so where does the less come in. Sorry Tex I could not resist your typo.

[Gunner]

I have first hand experience with getting an upper respiratory infection due to topping up tap water rather than deep cleaning it every day - now I clean all my equipment every day in hot soapy water and I use filtered water in my tank. It's kinda annoying to do it every day I guess but then having a sinus infection isn't too much fun either and the experience of actually getting a quality night's sleep trumps everything in my opinion.

[Sleeprider]

Gunner, there is really no way to know your humidifier contributed to a sinus infection. I agree however, if you use tap water, it's a good idea to keep after the hygiene, but I have done this for 8 years with tap water, with less than good diligence, and not had a problem.

[Gunner]

Gunner, there is really no way to know your humidifier contributed to a sinus infection. I agree however, if you use tap water, it's a good idea to keep after the hygiene, but I have done this for 8 years with tap water, with less than good diligence, and not had a problem.

Of course I cannot empirically prove it but I'm 99% certain it was because of my water tank. When I went to deep clean it after a 3 day gap I had noticed there was a definite build up of 'gunk' on the bottom of the tank and even a slight smell.

When I normally get a cold I get other symptoms as well and normally my tonsils get infected and so on but this was purely respiratory and also my girlfriend normally gets sick from me (or visa versa) but she didn't get sick at all.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Looks like I will add air dry to my daily routine and vinegar rinse to my weekly routine.

[GPSMapNut]

Opinion (topped of with several years of experience) only;

Distilled water: top off every day. Clean once a week.
Tap water: just don't do it.

In case of cold / flue: clean the tank and mask and the hose every day or suffer twice or trice or forever as long as you would normally.
YMMV

[AshSF]

FWIW, I have started using bottled Aquafina instead of distilled. I fill about half the tub every night, dump the remaining water in the morning and let it air dry. No build up of any kind for 60 days and counting. And I wash the tub once every 10 days with regular foaming soap.

Aquafina is rated as 4ppm TDS water so it's fairly close to distilled.

[player]

I use well water that get run through an under the sink reverse osmosis unit. Empty the extra daily, and I leave the tank out of the machine and slightly open by turning the seal 90 degrees.
I wash everything but not as regular as I should.