Humidifiers with Oxygen Concentrators

Do you need a Humidifier with an Oxygen Concentrator?

Sometimes called a humidifier bottle, humidifier cup, or water bottle, the prime objective is to humidify the air you breathe. Keep in mind that a humidifer bottle is an accessory. It is not required to be able to use your oxygen concentrator. If your nose or throat feel scratchy when using your oxygen concentrator, it is possible that the dry air from the concentrator is causing the discomfort.

Depending on the model of Oxygen Concentrator you have, you can either screw the bottle directly on to the threaded oxygen output on your oxygen concentrator, or you may need to use a tubing adapter.

Humidifier Bottle Adapters are required to use on Oxygen Concentrators that have a barbed oxygen outlet. Some examples would be an Invacare Platinum, Invacare Perfecto, Airsep VisionAire, or Respironics EverFlo. The adapter is a simple device. It is a short hose, where you slide one end of the hose over the oxygen outlet. The other end will have a threaded section that you thread in to the top of the humidifier bottle.

When using a humidifier bottle, please inspect it closely. You will see the plastic top is removable. It screws on top the top of the "cup" where you put the water. If you look at the "cup" portion where you put the water, you will see two faint lines. One says "Minimum" and one says "Maximum". You want to keep the water between these lines. If the water is filled too low, your oxygen may not be humidified before you breathe it. If the water is filled too high, you risk getting water in your oxygen tubing. Please make sure to use distilled water only. This purified water will not have any impurities that can stop up the inner workings of the cap of your humidifier bottle. Believe it or not, there are tiny parts installed in the top of your humidifier bottle that can fail if they get dirty from tap water.

Once you have inspected your humidifier bottle, filled it appropriately, and attached it to your oxygen concentrator (make sure not to cross thread it!), this is when you will turn the oxygen concentrator on. Your oxygen concentrator should operate as normal, and you will see the oxygen bubbling inside of the humidifier bottle. Hook your Nasal cannula, face mask, or tubing on to the nipple on the top of the humidifier bottle, and start enjoying the moist air! Typically you do not want to use more than fifty feet of oxygen hose and a seven foot long nasal cannula or face mask. This holds true while using a humidifier bottle as well.

I think there is water in my oxygen line!

There are a few reasons you can get some pretty annoying water droplets in your oxygen line.

A few reasons could be:

• Humidifer Bottle is overfilled
• Oxygen Concentrator is tipped forward
• Oxygen Concentrator flow meter is turned too high
• Humidifier Bottle is tipped forward
• Temperature in room is colder than Oxygen from Oxygen Concentrator
• Humidifier Bottle has failed

Here are a few possible remedies to rid yourself of the excess water. First, make sure that the water level in the humidifier bottle is between the minimum and maximum lines as discussed above. Second, make sure that your Oxygen Concentrator is sitting nice and level, and not partially on carpet, and partially on a wooden floor. If the Oxygen Concentrator were tipped forward, the water could possibly pour through the outlet of the humidifier bottle and into your tubing. The same inspection should be done for your humidifier bottle. Make sure it is sitting nice and level, and strapped into the humidifier bottle holder that is built into your oxygen concentrator. Also make sure that the flow meter on your Oxygen Concentrator is not turned up too high. If you happen to be forcing too much Oxygen through your humidifier bottle, this could cause small droplets of water into your oxygen tubing. Another possibility is that your humidifier bottle has failed and need to be replaced. Keep in mind that a humidifier bottle is considered a disposable supply and are recommended to be replaced once a month. They are pretty affordable at around five dollars per bottle.

Some possible ways to prevent water in your oxygen hose, is to elevate your tubing. You can try to safely drap it over a dresser, a chair back, or a headboard. This can help drain and water back into your bottle and prevent it from entering your cannula. If you wish to leave your tubing on the floor, you can always add an accessory called a "water trap" in your Oxygen Tubing. It is a small chamber that you place between two pieces of tubing (no tools required). It will act as a low point for the moisture to collect. When necessary, you can empty the water trap into your sink.

Humidifier Bottles are generally pretty user friendly and hardly ever offer any issues for the user. If you do run in to some problems, hopefully this guide will help!

If you have any further questions, feel free to email us at OxygenPlusMedical@Gmail.com or call us at 1-540-297-3257