Humidifier - Leave In Excess Water ?

[JohnNJ]

I have been dumping any leftover humidifier water every morning and wiping the tank dry. I add fresh water every night before bed.

Is that what's recommended or is it OK to leave the excess water and just top it off at night? FYI - I use distilled water.

Thanks

[Tez62]

JohnNJ, you'll get a heap of different opinions, personally I use distilled water and top it up each night, twice a week I empty it and wash the chamber along with my hose and mask. I have been doing it for nearly 3 years and have had no problems. If you have time and what you are doing is working for you, just keep doing it. It's good just to get into a routine that works for you.

[trish6hundred]

Hi JohnNJ,
I use distilled water and I top my humidifier chamber about every other night or so. I wash my chamber once a week with my other mask parts in warm, mild, soapy water and I haven't had any problems doing it this way.
You'll get different opinions on this, YMMV.

[Lukie]

Since I fill my white basin with warm sudsy water for my mask everyday, it's no big deal to throw in the humidifier so I wash my mask, small hose, and humidifier every day. I wash my big hose every week with warm sudsy water and once a month with control 3 disinfectant. Everyone does it according to their own needs and experience. I'm particularly picky because I'm older and a cold or upper respiratory infection can easily go to pneumonia. I also have 2 cats and a dog and there is dog and cat hair everywhere regardless of how often I clean and vacuum. Even though I don't see them on the mask, after I've washed everything up, there are usually a bunch of hairs in the water.

[zonk]

ResMed recommend distilled water if using standard water tank as the standard tank used to come in one piece and not designed to be taken apart for cleaning but now the standard tank comes in two parts and can be taken apart for cleaning. ResMed say its okay to use tap water if using the cleanable tank. I don,t recommend to you or to anyone to do what I do, my water comes straight from the tap, the water sit all day in the tank and just before bedtime, I empty the tank and fill it with fresh water from the tap, never seen any mold growing or got sick, actually since been using the machine, have not seen the doc for a while.The problem some people might have when they run the humidifier on empty and get some funny smell during the night and damage the tank. The thing I do every morning without fail is washing the cushion, sometimes two if happen to getup during the night or in the early hours of the morning and change the cushion as it get oily and doesn't feel nice

[PaytonA]

I use distilled water and top it up every night. I ran it dry once in the early days of my PAPing and that is definitely not the thing one wants to do. I am a little less particular about the tank hose and mask than some and I do not have any problems with them. I do wash the areas of my face the the mask contacts every night.

PaytonA

[DocWils]

I empty it every morning and run the machine to dry the tank and hose interior. On the other hand, I have gotten to the point where I know just how much water I need each night and only fill it to that point, so no water is really wasted.

You WILL build up bacteria over time even in distilled water if you leave it sitting for a day or more, although growth will not be very much in a closed system. However, it is up to you. I would never recommend you leave water in the tank and top it up if you use anything other than distilled water, as you are concentrating the other components of the water as you use it.

[zonk]

actually since been using the machine, have not seen the doc for a while.

I've a good doctor. In ancient China, one pay the doctor when healthy not when sick
When sick, the doctor has failed in his duty of care so he does not get paid

[Bompa]

I too use distilled water, top my tank up for 3 consecutive nights than wash tank and start fresh. No problems in almost 3 years.

It's your own personal thingy!!!

[me50]

I have been dumping any leftover humidifier water every morning and wiping the tank dry. I add fresh water every night before bed.

Is that what's recommended or is it OK to leave the excess water and just top it off at night? FYI - I use distilled water.

Thanks

this is what I do but I have very little left over water in the morning because I know just how much I use every night. I wash it once per week along with the hose, head gear, chin strap, mask hose and the cushion I wash daily. weekly I soak all of my stuff in vinegar and water at least 30 minutes (usually longer) and then rinse it and air dry. I have spares that I can use while the other dries.