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+--- Thread: Humidifier, do I really need to fill it to the line? (/Thread-Humidifier-do-I-really-need-to-fill-it-to-the-line)
Humidifier, do I really need to fill it to the line? - novatom - 01-16-2015
I've been using my CPAP machine for nearly three weeks now. Every night I fill the humidifier with distilled water right up to the "maximum" line, but every morning, I end up throwing more than 3/4 of it down the drain. Even though it's not that expensive, I don't like wasting all this water!
Do I always have to fill it up to the line? You can see what I use for a humidifier. Can I get away with maybe filling it up 3/4 of the way?
Just curious.
RE: Humidifier, do I really need to fill it to the line? - DocWils - 01-16-2015
Nah, fill it up for as much as you use, more isn't necessary - the only thing filling it all the way up will do is lessen tank echo. I never fill it more than half, which is all I need at full on humidification for 7 hours, which I rarely ever get to. In the old tanks they had quarter half three quarter and full marks on it, I have no idea why they stopped that, as it was very convenient. Now I have to eyeball it.
If you still have a enough water in the tank by morning to cover the heating plate completely, then you are doing fine. Less than that and you will get a bit of a sore throat from the dry air. So experiment to see how much you need to get through the night and stick with that. Warning - that will vary throughout the year as humidity and temperature levels in the environment change, but it won't vary too much - no more than a few cm.
RE: Humidifier, do I really need to fill it to the line? - Crimson Nape - 01-16-2015
Like the Doc said. Since I use distilled water I only empty it once a week and wash the tank. During the week I just top it off. If I was using tap water, then that would be a different story.
Doc, When do you sleep?
RE: Humidifier, do I really need to fill it to the line? - PaulaO2 - 01-16-2015
Oy. Distilled water does not automatically equal sterile.
As soon as you crack the lid on that jug, it isn't sterile.
Keeping distilled water in there a week is no better (or worse) than keeping tap water in there a week.
During the night, you are heating up the water. This invites all sort of wonderful stuff to start growing.
In other words, dump the water each night no matter where it comes from. Or keep it if you're lazy like me. (and I use tap water!)
RE: Humidifier, do I really need to fill it to the line? - PaulaO2 - 01-16-2015
Filling it to the line is only if you think you will lose that much. If you consistently only use X amount, then only put that much in there, maybe a little more.
There's a sensor in these machines now that detects the humidity of the room. If the room contains enough humid air, it won't use as much water from the tank. If the room is dry, it will use more water from the tank. So some nights you may empty the tank, some nights you may not seem to use any at all.
Mine varies so much, I fill mine just because running out makes this awful smell that makes me sneeze all day.
RE: Humidifier, do I really need to fill it to the line? - surferdude2 - 01-16-2015
I top mine off daily, just in case Mrs. SD uses all the water for her iron I want to have enough to last until she gets a new jug.
Being that lazy I also dump and clean it maybe once a week but I don't worry much about that. I plan on living forever, so far it's working.
RE: Humidifier, do I really need to fill it to the line? - Eurika - 01-16-2015
I'm with Doc on this one, I just top up the distiller water each day and have a good clean of the gear once a week.
I also invested in a SoClean machine and this runs through the water in the tank and I gather this sterilizes the water in the tank as well.
Thinking about humidification I can't figure out how nasty little bugs in the water can get into the air system. The moisture in humidification is from evaporation so would the nasties in the water tank stay in the water or can bugs be carried in the evaporated water.
RE: Humidifier, do I really need to fill it to the line? - Sparkle - 01-16-2015
(01-16-2015, 09:49 AM)novatom Wrote: I've been using my CPAP machine for nearly three weeks now. Every night I fill the humidifier with distilled water right up to the "maximum" line, but every morning, I end up throwing more than 3/4 of it down the drain. Even though it's not that expensive, I don't like wasting all this water!
I haven't used the humidifier on mine yet (been using it for three nights) mostly because I haven't been to the store to get distilled water. But for three nights I've been fine - I'm wondering if I even need to use it?
RE: Humidifier, do I really need to fill it to the line? - Eurika - 01-16-2015
If you are fine and comfortable without a humidifier, then you don't need to use it.
The humidification is for comfort and I would guess that if the ambient air is bone dry then that's when humidification comes inti it own
RE: Humidifier, do I really need to fill it to the line? - DocWils - 01-16-2015
(01-16-2015, 10:58 AM)sgearhart Wrote: Doc, When do you sleep?
I'm a working doctor running a large division of medical graduate students in a big city hospital! Never!