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+--- Thread: Free distilled water for humidifiers. (/Thread-Free-distilled-water-for-humidifiers)
RE: Free distilled water for humidifiers. - Sleepster - 09-10-2012
The distilled water sold in the US is not really distilled. It's usually labeled "For Distilled Water Use". In other words, it's to be used in place of distilled water in household applications where distilled water is called for. Such as in a clothes iron.
It's taken from the municipal water supply, deionized, filtered, and treated with UV radiation.
I use the water from my municipal water supply. It goes through a sediment filter, followed by a water softener (deionizer), followed by a reverse osmosis filter. I always empty out the water chamber before refilling. I also wash it in the dishwasher.
After a few months of use it built up a thin layer of scum below the water line that was visible only because the tank is otherwise transparent. I soaked it in vinegar and then used a small brush to get in all the nooks and crannies. It's now clear and clean.
If your insurance company follows the US Medicare replacement schedule as many do, you're entitled to a new tank every six months. Check with your insurance company. Don't just trust your DME to replace your stuff on schedule even though they're being paid by your insurance company to do so.
RE: Free distilled water for humidifiers. - archangle - 09-10-2012
(09-10-2012, 06:42 AM)Moriarty Wrote: I think it is important to note that the 'ironing' water sold through supermarkets in Australia is not sold as 'distilled' but is marked 'demineralised.'
I'd be worried that it's safe for irons, but not for humans, but I don't know how it's labeled.
I've also seen some filter bottle things that are supposed to demineralize water for irons. It's got some kind of resin or chemicals in it. I'd be really scared to use these in the humidifier.
RE: Free distilled water for humidifiers. - dfhudson53 - 09-11-2012
(09-10-2012, 09:47 PM)Sleepster Wrote: The distilled water sold in the US is not really distilled. It's usually labeled "For Distilled Water Use". In other words, it's to be used in place of distilled water in household applications where distilled water is called for. Such as in a clothes iron.<<...>>
I expect you're right that water labeled "For Distilled Water Use" is not really distilled, but is considered equivalent to distilled for some uses (e.g., clothes iron). Whether it is equivalent to distilled for use in a CPAP machine, I don't know.
Perhaps I am naive, but the water I buy isn't labeled that way. It just says "Distilled", and I believe it is. I haven't done anything to test it, but I haven't seen any sort of residue build-up, or other symptoms to indicate that it isn't, in fact, distilled.
It is important to read the label, and just because you see the word "Distilled" somewhere on it, doesn't mean it is distilled. But if it is labeled only as "Distilled", without qualifiers, I think we should be entitled to assume that it is, in fact, distilled water.
Whether you feel it is worth the additional trouble and expense to use such water in your CPAP machine is, of course, another question. :-)
RE: Free distilled water for humidifiers. - mjbearit - 09-11-2012
This whole area of discussion is amusingly like going on a motorcycle board and starting the question of which is better synthetic oil or dino? LOL! I don't think we will all ever agree on this at all, but as long as everyone is making an informed decision, we should all be happy!
BTW, the answer is synthetic! LOL!
RE: Free distilled water for humidifiers. - Sleepster - 09-11-2012
(09-11-2012, 09:52 AM)dfhudson53 Wrote: I expect you're right that water labeled "For Distilled Water Use" is not really distilled, but is considered equivalent to distilled for some uses (e.g., clothes iron). Whether it is equivalent to distilled for use in a CPAP machine, I don't know.
It is.
RE: Free distilled water for humidifiers. - Sleepster - 09-11-2012
(09-11-2012, 10:32 AM)mjbearit Wrote: This whole area of discussion is amusingly like going on a motorcycle board and starting the question of which is better synthetic oil or dino? LOL!
Worse, because tap water varies so much with location.
It's not the water that causes the problems, it's the stuff in the water. As long as the water is safe to drink it's safe to use in the humidifier. However, hard water is going to build up a residue in the tank that will shorten its useful life unless you're very careful to keep it clean. The harder the water the more maintenence you'll have to do to extend the life of the tank.
If everyone were to use distilled water then no one would have to carry out excessive maintenence. Therefore the manufacturers recommend that you use distilled water. This doesn't mean that you can't get away with using water that's not distilled.
Some water is so hard it stinks, but is nevertheless considered safe to drink. Some people will even claim that stinky water is good for your health. Some water is so hard it leaves a residue on freshly washed dishes, makes your laundry stink and your bathroom impossible to keep clean.
RE: Free distilled water for humidifiers. - zonk - 09-11-2012
(09-11-2012, 01:03 PM)Sleepster Wrote: Therefore the manufacturers recommend that you use distilled water.ResMed recommend to use distilled water if you have the one piece standard water tank and tap water is fine for everyday use if you have the cleanable water tank
The S9 sold in US with standard water tank and the cleanable one is an optional extra while in Australia sold with the cleanable water tank but the price is almost more than double and as archangle would say "Shame on you ResMed"
RE: Free distilled water for humidifiers. - zonk - 09-11-2012
(09-11-2012, 10:32 AM)mjbearit Wrote: This whole area of discussion is amusingly like going on a motorcycle board and starting the question of which is better synthetic oil or dino? LOL! I don't think we will all ever agree on this at all, but as long as everyone is making an informed decision, we should all be happy!
BTW, the answer is synthetic! LOL!
![[Image: 801293be8347cfa6dde5be59c6436653.jpg]](http://www.advertisingarchives.co.uk/assets/thumbnails/48/2/801293be8347cfa6dde5be59c6436653.jpg)
RE: Free distilled water for humidifiers. - archangle - 09-13-2012
The Walmart water says:
"Great Value
Distilled
Water
BOTTLED BY: Premium Waters, Inc., Ft. Worth, TX 76178
SOURCE: Municipal Supply, Ft. Worth, TX.
PROCESSED BY: Steam Distillation, Carbon Filtration,
Reverse Osmosis, Ultraviolet Treatment,
Microfiltration, Ozonation"
It clearly says "Distilled," not any kind of pseudo distilled or "distilled use."
Perhaps the government lets them lie if the purity is at some level. It wouldn't be the only thing.
The "Processed by" part is confusing. Does that mean all those processes or some of those processing? There really should be an "and" or an "or" between the last two terms. It does specifically mention "Steam Distillation."
My best guess that they do the filtration and osmosis before distilling it. The more gunk you remove, the less gunk you have to clean out of the boiler part of the still. All of the other steps are going to be much cheaper than distillation, so they may just take their purest water from their bulk water processing and then distill it.
RE: Free distilled water for humidifiers. - mjbearit - 09-13-2012
I took that the same way archangle. Probably more expensive to clean out the boiler than to filter it first.