How to Make Distilled Water for Humidifier to Make It Safer and Last Longer

Winter air does not only feel uncomfortable, but it can weaken the body’s defenses against germs that can cause sickness. No wonder, then, that humidifiers form a large chunk of purchases at this time of the year. The humidifier is a device that adds moisture to the air, ensuring that you don’t suffer from chapped lips, cracked skin, and other problems associated with fall and winter. It uses water, and this water must be distilled. In this post, we consider how to make distilled water for humidifier.

The water that you use to fill your humidifier’s tank could cause certain issues. That is why EPA recommends that you fill the humidifier with distilled water and not just any type of water. Buying distilled water is more expensive than using tap water, which is why learning how to make your own distilled water will be economical.

Let’s see how you can make it.

What is Distilled Water?

The name might give you an idea of what distilled water is. However, for the sake of clarity, we will define what distilled water for your humidifier is.

Distilled water Trusted Source Distilled Water Overview You’ve probably seen jugs of distilled water in stores. Find out what makes it different from other types of water, and what to use it for. www.webmd.com is a type of purified water that has had all the contaminants and minerals removed. It is different from purified water. Purified water doesn’t have any contaminants or chemicals, but it still has some minerals in it.

Distilled water has a lot of uses because of the stripped minerals and contaminants. Apart from using it in a purifier, this type of water is also used in other household appliances. For example, it is used in aquariums, lab experiments, steam irons and is used in other applications like car cooling systems and medical devices.

Distilled water can slightly improve your health and can be drunk without any side effects. It is also very useful in and around the house.

Should You Use Distilled Water for Your Humidifier?

The humidifier is a very handy device in winter and fall. It helps congested people breathe easier in this period. And humidifiers can help people that have asthma as well. Generally, humidifiers have a good record of safety. However, it is recommended that they are used with distilled water.

By using distilled water in your humidifier, there is a very minimal risk of this phenomenon causing health problems.

Advantages

There are advantages to using distilled water in a humidifier. Here are some of them.

1. Cleaner Humidifiers
   Are you tired of cleaning your humidifier often, usually because of the moldy or crusty smell that emanates? If you are, distilled water can be a good solution. It doesn’t leave residue behind, which reduces the need to clean the humidifier.
2. Cleaner Air
   Distilled water in your humidifier will reduce the chances of hazards due to contaminated air. Since there are no chemicals or minerals in the water, you will get clean vapor mist into your home and space.
   
3. No More Bad Smells
   The humidifier might give off a bad smell if you use contaminated water in it. Distilled water is clean and will keep your humidifier free of any strange smells in the air.

Can You Use Tap Water Instead?

Although distilled water has several advantages, you might wonder if you can use alternative types of water. The most popular alternative is tap water. Can you use tap water for your humidifier? And more importantly, should you use tap water for your humidifier?

Using tap water is fine for most humidifiers on the market. The reason is that water does not need distillation before it can become water vapor and increase the air’s humidity. Furthermore, since your tap water is drinkable, you can also enjoy its benefits in vapor form.

However, if you notice mineral dust forming on your furniture or other places where the water vapor touches, then you might think about jettisoning tap water.

While this dust does not negatively impact your health, it can cause extra work in the form of cleaning furniture and other fixtures.

Apart from the white dust that might form on your fixtures, the minerals in tap water might cause mold or slime to form in the humidifier’s tank. This formation occurs if you use hard tap water. In such a case, you can solve the problem by using special tablets that can dissolve the salts in hard water.

If you encounter any of these issues and are bothered by them, then you should switch to using distilled water.

How to make distilled water

Now that the benefits of distilled water have been seen, how can you make distilled water for your humidifier? We will consider how you can make distilled water using different methods and equipment.

With a Water Distiller

A water distiller is a device that works primarily to help you distill water. Here is how to use the apparatus.

1. Fill the distiller with tap water and switch it on.
2. The distiller boils the water to kill any contaminants inside and turns the boiled water to steam.
3. The conversion to steam leaves most of the minerals and contaminants as residue.
4. This steam is captured in a stainless steel coil that cools it make to water.
5. The water is filtered through activated charcoal to remove any minerals and compounds.
6. The machine automatically switches off after all the water in it has been distilled.

Using a water distiller is straightforward and easy. There are many water distillers you will find on the market today, and reviews indicate that the Megahome Countertop Distiller is one of the best right now.

You can also check out this article that reviews the best water distillers.

With a Glass Bowl

Another method, which is one of the most common and easiest, is using a glass bowl. You will need:

• Large pot
• Glass bowl
• Ice

With these in hand, you can distill water using the glass bowl method. Here is how to do it:

1. Place the pot on the stove and fill it halfway
2. Place the glass bowl in the pot, ensuring that it sits flat.
3. Light a fire or do something else to boil the water. As it boils, invert the pot’s cover and place ice cubes on it. This will cause condensation.
4. The boiling water turns to steam and condenses on the inverted lid. Then it will drip down into the glass bowl.
5. The water collected in the glass bowl has thus been distilled.

Pretty simple and straightforward, isn’t it?

With Glass Bottles

Another method is using glass bottles. This method is simple, however, you might not have all the required equipment. You will need:

• A glass bottle with a curved neck
• An ice pack
• Pot

Below is a quick guide on how to distill water with glass bottles in five steps:

1. Fill a glass bottle with water
2. Attach it to another bottle at the neck.
3. Put the filled bottler inside a pot of water while the empty bottle lies hanging on the pot’s side.
4. Place the ice pack on the bottle that lies outside the pot to have condensation.
5. Boil water in the pot. The water in the glass bottle will boil and become steam, then evaporate into the empty bottle. The ice pack will cause the steam to condense into distilled water.

Converting Rainwater

Apart from tap water, you can also distill rainwater.

It is simple to do, although it doesn’t remove the same amount of impurities.

To use this method, set a large container to collect water. Wait for two days for the sediments in the water to settle.

Rainwater is naturally distilled because the water cycle involves evaporation and condensation.

How to Store Distilled Water

It is important to store distilled water properly to avoid future contamination. Here are some tips that can help you store it correctly.

• Experts recommend that storing the water in a glass container is the best way to keep it from contamination.
• Ensure that the bottle or container is closed at all times.
• Store in a cool, dry place without direct sunlight.
• For long-term use, store the water in a high density polyethylene container. This will prevent it from absorbing chemicals and solvents from different sources.

Final Thoughts

The FDA recognizes that the minerals or chemicals in your humidifier tank’s water might find a way into the air. That is why distilled water is recommended for use in humidifiers. If you are looking for distilled water to use, you might decide to buy one off the market. Or you could do what many people do and make your own distilled water.

This post has provided you with the steps and equipment that you need to make distilled water. With this information, you now know how to make distilled water for humidifier.