Distilled vs. tap water

[booksfan]

First, yes I understand tap water is fine in my CPAP, no need to explain that to me. But I am lazy and don't want to descale my humidifier tub so I have always used distilled water.

However, two nights ago, I was washing out the humidifier (which I do religiously every couple of months , lazy, remember? ), and I decided I was just too tired to dry it, fill it on my nightstand, dry the nightstand, etc., so I just filled it with tap water. HUGE MISTAKE!! I settle myself in bed, attach my mask, and... what is awful smell?! Took me a few minutes to realize it was the tap water.

I will stick to distilled.

This was MY experience, I am not suggesting that this applies to anyone else. Oh, and the smell was just kind of chlorine-y, but not what you to be smelling while trying to go to sleep.

[Dog Slobber]

For the most part, nobody here really gives a crap whether one uses distilled or tap. We really don't.

What is important, is that people *know* that tap-water is an option, using distilled is not medically necessary, and there are cleaning considerations depending on what is used.

There are people who are terrified to put non-distilled in their devices for fear of getting sick or ruining their machines. Some won't use use their CPAP without distilled.

It is for those people, that the "If your water is safe to drink, you can use it in your CPAP" message is important.

[Jlfinkels]

It is for those people, that the "If your water is safe to drink, you can use it in your CPAP" message is important.

Summed up crisply and succinctly in a single sentence.

[ChicagoGranny]

HUGE MISTAKE!! I settle myself in bed, attach my mask, and... what is awful smell?! Took me a few minutes to realize it was the tap water.

After realization, what did you do? Sleep peacefully the rest of the night?

[lazarus]

First, yes I understand tap water is fine in my CPAP, no need to explain that to me. But I am lazy and don't want to descale my humidifier tub so I have always used distilled water.

However, two nights ago, I was washing out the humidifier (which I do religiously every couple of months , lazy, remember? ), and I decided I was just too tired to dry it, fill it on my nightstand, dry the nightstand, etc., so I just filled it with tap water. HUGE MISTAKE!! I settle myself in bed, attach my mask, and... what is awful smell?! Took me a few minutes to realize it was the tap water.

I will stick to distilled.

This was MY experience, I am not suggesting that this applies to anyone else. Oh, and the smell was just kind of chlorine-y, but not what you to be smelling while trying to go to sleep.

Makes sense.

However, I've experienced the opposite, myself.

I used tap water for about four years. There was a very slight mineral build-up on that humidifier plate. So when I got a new machine (and humidifier) several weeks ago, I decided to start using distilled.

But after a few weeks, I started noticing a very slight subtle sour smell in my mask and hose that I had never smelled before. Cleaning the mask and hose fixed it. But I had rarely had to clean my mask and hose back when I used tap.

So I've decided to stop using distilled and go back to tap to get the benefit of the chlorine, myself. I usually empty and fill the tank an hour or so before mask on, which in my experience allows the water to off-gas much of the chlorine smell--although that smell doesn't really bother me, since it reminds me of early childhood days spent at the community swimming pool.

I think both of our experiences are valid and illustrate why different people may make different choices. It is good to be in a forum that has room for both of us.

And Dog Slobber.

[Dog Slobber]

And Dog Slobber.

Which should not be used in a humidifier.

[palerider]

And Dog Slobber.

Which should not be used in a humidifier.

I'd think that might depend on the dog.

[zonker]

I will stick to distilled.

interestingly enough, after years of distilled water, i find myself turning (get it?) towards tap water.

now as everyone knows, the two primary characteristics of grandpa zonker on this here forum are, i'm cheap AND i'm lazy. for many years, the lazy side of me drove me to use distilled water.

BUT recently that gallon of distilled water rose from ninety nine sense a gallon to a dollar eighty nine!

this has brought out the cheap side of ol' gramps zonker. i'm not using tap water which is running through an inline filter in the sink. and hey! i'm proud of the fact that someone like me who lacks skills actually installed it!

so i'm using that and then i'm cleaning out the tank with the method that both chunkyfrog and ozij have mentioned: denture tablets.

so far, this seems to be working well. and to me, the cost of denture tablets is less than running through that gallon of distilled water.

[lazarus]

two primary characteristics of grandpa zonker on this here forum are, i'm cheap AND i'm lazy.

I have always considered your laziness and cheapness to be two of your most admirable qualities.

[zonker]

two primary characteristics of grandpa zonker on this here forum are, i'm cheap AND i'm lazy.

I have always considered your laziness and cheapness to be two of your most admirable qualities.

yeah, you don't to know about my other qualities.

[booksfan]

HUGE MISTAKE!! I settle myself in bed, attach my mask, and... what is awful smell?! Took me a few minutes to realize it was the tap water.

After realization, what did you do? Sleep peacefully the rest of the night?

Actually, I tend to wake up frequently so when I woke up the first time and the smell STILL bothered me, I got up and changed the water. The running joke in the family is that I am like the "Princess and the Pea," everything bothers me when trying to sleep!

[lazarus]

two primary characteristics of grandpa zonker on this here forum are, i'm cheap AND i'm lazy.

I have always considered your laziness and cheapness to be two of your most admirable qualities.

yeah, you don't to know about my other qualities.

I call those two qualities "energy efficiency" and "frugality," myself. That way they sound greener and more worthy of imitation.

[MikeekiM]

I have moderate hard water in my location, so I like using distilled water in the CPAP just from a calcium build up perspective... Both where you can see it...as well as all of the internals that you can't see...

I use tap water in my coffee/expresso super automatic machine and have to decalcify regularly... I figure using distilled water in my CPAP machine just keeps the arteries clear...

[chunkyfrog]

Some cities use extra chlorine to lower the microbe count in tap water
to safe, but not always palatable levels.
Consequently, those communities' water is only suitable for washing.

[SleepGeek]

I will stick to distilled.

This was MY experience, I am not suggesting that this applies to anyone else. Oh, and the smell was just kind of chlorine-y, but not what you to be smelling while trying to go to sleep.

Makes sense.

However, I've experienced the opposite, myself.

I think both of our experiences are valid and illustrate why different people may make different choices. It is good to be in a forum that has room for both of us.

Oh how I wish that was true.