distilled water and humidifiers

[James @ Intus]

Highland was always the bottled water with the lowest total dry residue/dissolved solids I could find in supermarkets but thanks for adding Volvic to that list. We're in the South-West quadrant of the M25/Greater London and the tap water is rather disgusting. Not humidifier-safe at all.

[silvercarper]

In Tesco.s today I was looking at the analysis of various bottled waters.

The Volvic does have a low calcium content but the Tesco.s English Ashbeck water has a low ,10.0 mg/L, calcium level and a Ph of 6.2.

This means that its a soft, acidic water.No good for my African cichlids but ideal for Amazonian Tetras. Whoops wrong forum!!!

[joeandhelen]

I live in Yorkshire also and what I do is use the boiled water from the kettle. I store the water in large metal sprung jars and use them to fill my humidifier tank as required.

This both kills germs and recycles kettle water. I have been doing this for two years now, no probs! You still need to clean your tank every week using soapy water with vinegar once a month and then every few months I do the mask and tube etc soaked in milton sterilising fluid. Don't worry that it may smell of bleach it is used for babies and is perfectly safe.

I hope this helps!

Joe

Thank you for your quick reply. We live in a hard water area, and after just 3 weeks a limescale build up had started which is why I went to the distilled water. I understand what you are saying about exhaled air, and must admit I thought about that when I was given the advice - it makes sense, especially when the water is heated that germs can grow

My (plumber) husband has now informed me that he can fit a filter to the house which will soften the water so that's another job for him then

I wash the chamber every morning and leave it to dry, and will revert back to using fresh water every night

It's interesting how we are all given differing advice

[symmit]

I do the mask and tube etc soaked in milton sterilising fluid. Don't worry that it may smell of bleach it is used for babies and is perfectly safe.

I hope this helps!

Joe

Hi Joe - I'm using milton every week or two on my masks and hoses. As you say we stick it in our babies mouths without rinsing so it's probably not that bad!

After drying the hose and mask I stick my cpap on for an hour with the mask and hose under a pillow to seal it off and stop it going mad, this blows off most of the bleach smell.

[ukflyer]

Distillation machine.

Being new to all this, I am glad I have a distillation machine, which I had played around with making my own alcohol for er... experimental reasons. It is now being put to use making the purest possible water for my humidifier. This company sells it for £149. Still a hefty price but will pay for itself in the long run.

http://www.jdharris.co.uk/water-distiller

Boiling water only concentrates the mineral content slightly and does not remove the chemical salts that scale up the humidifier.