Is it okay to use tap water in a humidifier tank?? I have a DeVilbiss CPAP with separate tank and heater for the humdifier and I was told to use distilled water, or at least bottled water in the tank. I'm a trucker and that's where my problem has kicked in, from time to time. I run out of bottled water at times, miles from a truck stop and tap water is all that's available to me. Will this harm my humidifier tank??


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Larry

Tap water will cause mineral buildup in the tank. Could you carry a portable water filter with you? Make sure you get one that filters out minerals.

In a pinch I have used Aquafina and not had adverse problems.  Luckily its sold just about anywhere.  The Spring water always does poorly tho.  

Best bet is distilled, but if you can't find it, grab a bottle of aquafina...

I use distilled water - I think lots of folks do.

I was also told to use distilled water, though I don't have a heated humidifier; it is a cool passover system.  It seems to me that using distilled water for a heated humidifier would lessen the build up of minerals found in tap water, but without the heating element how would the water leave any mineral residue?  Overnight, I notice less than an eighth of an inch of water that has evaporated.

Any comments would be greatly appreciated.


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"What we see depends mainly on what we look for."-----John Lubbock

Dawg51 wrote:

Is it okay to use tap water in a humidifier tank?? I have a DeVilbiss CPAP with separate tank and heater for the humdifier and I was told to use distilled water, or at least bottled water in the tank. I'm a trucker and that's where my problem has kicked in, from time to time. I run out of bottled water at times, miles from a truck stop and tap water is all that's available to me. Will this harm my humidifier tank??

I was told by the VA that occasional tap water is OK.

John

The physics is that any time water evaporates, it evaporates as a pure state, i.e. H2O, and it leaves all impurities behind.  Heating the water up in a humidifier simply speeds up the process.  So if you evaporate a pint of water, whether it be with heat or without, you'll get the same amount of residue left behind.

All bottled water is not OK to use.  Many are spring water which has not been purified and contains minerals and many have minerals added to improve the taste.

Therefore, check the ingredients label.  All that should be in it is distilled or reverse osmosis water (reverse osmosis is how dialysis works but that's another story).

Vicki


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That which does not kill you makes you stronger-Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich must of had apnea.

jpezz wrote:

I was told by the VA that occasional tap water is OK.

John

You also need to be careful with tap water because of the amount of chlorine that is in it. I made the mistake of using some tap water in a hotel and the chlorine was so strong in it I had to get out of bed and run downstairs to the vending machine for some aquafina...

Valerie


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=^) Valerie

I was told distilled water or boiled water, i use the latter, I have an old cordial plastic bottle that I keep boiled tap water in, obviously it depends how good the water is to start with.

But wouldn't boiled water still have all the minerals and chemicals?  

I use distilled water, and I just refill it a little bit each morning (I don't dump it each day).  But I do clean it out each weekend, and soak the container in a white vinegar/water mix (this is what my tech said to do), and dry it completely.  I do the same with the pillows and apparatus.

It wasn't until I read on here that people dump it each night.  Is it because of germs or mold or algae?  Even after a week it still seems pretty clear and clean...

For those that have a dehumidifier in their basements...I think that water should be the same as distilled? I empty my dehumidifier from the basement into my house humidifier on the second floor in the winter (oddly enough). Since I have been doing that i don't get calcium buildups in my house humidifier. Does anyone know if that water is the same as distilled. I think it is...


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Thanks to all, Michael

realmike wrote:

For those that have a dehumidifier in their basements...I think that water should be the same as distilled?

I don't think it would be the same at all, Mike.  I think it would be extremely risky to use water from a regular house dehumidifier in a cpap humidifier...risky to breathe it, I mean.

Dawg51, instead of bottled drinking water, have you got room in your truck for a gallon jug of distilled water and a funnel for pouring it into your humidifier?  A gallon jug of distilled is cheap at the grocery stores (85 cents or less) and lasts a long time at home.  Surely you wouldn't run out of it on trips if you took along a gallon with you.

rested gal, As  soon as I was done typing the post about the dehumidifier water I had the same thought as you.. Not such a good idea. It still is an interesting question though. Is dehumidifier water distilled with respect to lacking minerals. Anyway I will be buying it from a store for safety as you pointed out.


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Thanks to all, Michael