Your humidifier is an essential part of your CPAP therapy. A humidifier keeps the air in your CPAP machine moist which will keep you from getting dry mouth or nasal congestion. That way, you wake up feeling refreshed and well-rested rather than dry and stuffy.
Your humidifier treats you well so it’s important that you take care of it, too. One of the best ways to do this is by only using distilled water in your humidifier chamber. Using distilled water is not only best for your CPAP machine — it’s also better for your health!
Many new CPAP users are surprised to learn that it’s recommended that they only use distilled water in their humidifier. And we get it — it’s easier to just pour tap water into your humidifier.
It’s also easy to forget to change the water in your humidifier and let it sit there for days at a time. Bacteria is known to breed in warm and damp places, which makes your humidifier chamber the perfect location! But you need to be extra careful because the water you put into your humidifier affects the quality of the air you’re breathing so you can’t afford to be too relaxed about it.
Distilled Water vs. Tap Water
At this point, you may be wondering what distilled water even is. Distilled water has gone through the process of (you guessed it) distillation!
This means many of the contaminants and inorganic materials in it (like metal or minerals) have been removed. While distillation does not capture everything in the water (hence why we have water purification) it is still the best option for your humidifier.
Hopefully, this has helped you begin to understand why using distilled water is so important. Without it, your humidifier chamber can see a buildup of unwanted materials which can cause discoloration and can even damage your machine.These mineral deposits can cause mold growth, which is not something you want present in the air you are breathing every night.
Where Can I Get Distilled Water?
Now that you understand why distilled water is better than tap, you may still have one question: Where can I get this magical water? That’s the easy part! Distilled bottled water is available at your local grocery store.
You should always err on the side of caution when it comes to the water you put in your humidifier. It’s especially important to take caution when traveling, especially if you are traveling to areas with unsafe water supplies. Just as you wouldn’t drink water straight out of the tap in these places, you shouldn’t breathe it in either!
In the end, it’s important to remember that your CPAP machine is quite expensive. So why decrease it’s shelf life when there is an easy solution? Simply fill your humidifier chamber with distilled water each night before use and continue to enjoy your fresh and mineral-free air!
