Distilled Water in a CPAP Machine
Benefits of Using a CPAP Humidifier
The continuous flow of air that comes from a CPAP machine can feel drying. Some CPAP users report irritation in their nose and throat, including nose bleeds, sinus congestion, and dry mouth. A CPAP humidifier adds water to the pressurized air to increase humidity and make breathing with a CPAP device more comfortable.
If you use a CPAP machine and routinely wake up with dry breathing passages, you may want to consider adding a humidifier to your CPAP setup. It is also critical to regularly clean your CPAP machine, including your mask and other device accessories.
Why You Should Use Distilled Water in a CPAP Machine
While tap water is readily accessible and may be tempting to use in your CPAP humidifier, it can contain mineral deposits and other chemicals that may damage your machine or result in potentially harmful bacterial growth2. In terms of bottled water options, they can be boiled down to the following categories:
Using the wrong type of water in your CPAP humidifier can cause mineral buildup, scaling, or bacterial growth. It may also irritate your airways or cause your machine or its components to break down.
Why Tap Water Is Not a Substitute for Distilled Water in a CPAP Machine
Tap water can come from a well or a municipal water supply. Though your tap water may be perfectly fine to drink, it may contain minerals that can cause buildup or scaling in your CPAP machine. Tap water may also contain additives like chlorine or fluoride that can harm your machine. While you can boil water to kill bacteria, it will still contain any mineral content that was there prior to boiling.
Can you use spring water in a CPAP machine?
You should use distilled water instead of spring water in your CPAP humidifier. Spring water comes from natural underground water sources that reach the earth’s surface. This water may be naturally high in mineral content or contain other organic material. Spring water may be refreshing to drink, but when you run it through your humidifier the minerals can cause the machine’s components to break down.
Can you use reverse osmosis water in a CPAP machine?
Reverse osmosis refers to a purification process in which water is forced through a semipermeable membrane to remove sediment, bacteria, and chemicals. While it is generally more thorough than traditional filtration methods, water filtered via reverse osmosis still retains some dissolved solids, making it less suitable than distilled water for CPAP humidifiers.
Additionally, some at-home reverse osmosis systems are more effective at removing contaminants than others, and their effectiveness can degrade over time. Bottled water brands that use reverse osmosis often remineralize the water following the purification process.
Can you use bottled water in a CPAP machine?
You can use bottled water in your CPAP humidifier if it is distilled water. Most bottled water used for drinking is purified or spring water. These don’t contain bacteria, but they may have minerals like calcium and magnesium that can leave residue in your humidifier and may cause it to wear out quicker than expected. Use bottled distilled water for the best possible results.
Is It Better to Buy Distilled Water Instead of Distilling It Yourself?
Though distilling water is fairly simple to do at home, it’s generally best to purchase distilled water for use in your CPAP humidifier. Labs and factories have quality control procedures that ensure each bottle of distilled water is processed correctly before it’s sold to consumers. When you distill water at home, you don’t have these safeguards.
References / Sources:
1. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/cpap/should-you-use-distilled-water-for-a-cpap-machine#:~:text=Distilled%20water%20is%20the%20best,prevents%20limescale%20buildup%20on%20devices.
2. Raymond, L.W., Barkley, J.E., Langley, R., & Sautter, R. (2009). Prolonged respiratory illness after single overnight continuous positive airway pressure humidification: Endotoxin as the suspect. Southern Medical Journal, 102(12), 1260–1262.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20016436/
The continuous flow of air that comes from a CPAP machine can feel drying. Some CPAP users report irritation in their nose and throat, including nose bleeds, sinus congestion, and dry mouth. A CPAP humidifier adds water to the pressurized air to increase humidity and make breathing with a CPAP device more comfortable.
If you use a CPAP machine and routinely wake up with dry breathing passages, you may want to consider adding a humidifier to your CPAP setup. It is also critical to regularly clean your CPAP machine, including your mask and other device accessories.
Why You Should Use Distilled Water in a CPAP Machine
While tap water is readily accessible and may be tempting to use in your CPAP humidifier, it can contain mineral deposits and other chemicals that may damage your machine or result in potentially harmful bacterial growth2. In terms of bottled water options, they can be boiled down to the following categories:
- Purified water: Most bottled water is purified, meaning it is filtered to remove chemicals, though it may still contain some mineral content. Most purified drinking water sold in stores originates as municipal tap water. Some brands employ a reverse osmosis process, which removes impurities and microbes by using pressure to force water through a semipermeable membrane. Bottled water produced through these purification methods is often remineralized to provide healthy minerals for drinking.
- Spring water: Generally rich in mineral content, spring water comes from aquifers and is naturally filtered underground before it reaches an above-ground spring. Artesian water is similar to spring water, but it comes from an artesian well that taps an aquifer.
- Mineral water: Mineral water sold in market must come from an underground water source and needs to contain a minimum amount of total dissolved solids to be branded as such.
- Distilled water: Considered the purest form of bottled water, distilled water is produced by boiling water and then condensing the vapor back into liquid form.
Using the wrong type of water in your CPAP humidifier can cause mineral buildup, scaling, or bacterial growth. It may also irritate your airways or cause your machine or its components to break down.
Why Tap Water Is Not a Substitute for Distilled Water in a CPAP Machine
Tap water can come from a well or a municipal water supply. Though your tap water may be perfectly fine to drink, it may contain minerals that can cause buildup or scaling in your CPAP machine. Tap water may also contain additives like chlorine or fluoride that can harm your machine. While you can boil water to kill bacteria, it will still contain any mineral content that was there prior to boiling.
Can you use spring water in a CPAP machine?
You should use distilled water instead of spring water in your CPAP humidifier. Spring water comes from natural underground water sources that reach the earth’s surface. This water may be naturally high in mineral content or contain other organic material. Spring water may be refreshing to drink, but when you run it through your humidifier the minerals can cause the machine’s components to break down.
Can you use reverse osmosis water in a CPAP machine?
Reverse osmosis refers to a purification process in which water is forced through a semipermeable membrane to remove sediment, bacteria, and chemicals. While it is generally more thorough than traditional filtration methods, water filtered via reverse osmosis still retains some dissolved solids, making it less suitable than distilled water for CPAP humidifiers.
Additionally, some at-home reverse osmosis systems are more effective at removing contaminants than others, and their effectiveness can degrade over time. Bottled water brands that use reverse osmosis often remineralize the water following the purification process.
Can you use bottled water in a CPAP machine?
You can use bottled water in your CPAP humidifier if it is distilled water. Most bottled water used for drinking is purified or spring water. These don’t contain bacteria, but they may have minerals like calcium and magnesium that can leave residue in your humidifier and may cause it to wear out quicker than expected. Use bottled distilled water for the best possible results.
Is It Better to Buy Distilled Water Instead of Distilling It Yourself?
Though distilling water is fairly simple to do at home, it’s generally best to purchase distilled water for use in your CPAP humidifier. Labs and factories have quality control procedures that ensure each bottle of distilled water is processed correctly before it’s sold to consumers. When you distill water at home, you don’t have these safeguards.
References / Sources:
1. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/cpap/should-you-use-distilled-water-for-a-cpap-machine#:~:text=Distilled%20water%20is%20the%20best,prevents%20limescale%20buildup%20on%20devices.
2. Raymond, L.W., Barkley, J.E., Langley, R., & Sautter, R. (2009). Prolonged respiratory illness after single overnight continuous positive airway pressure humidification: Endotoxin as the suspect. Southern Medical Journal, 102(12), 1260–1262.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20016436/