Home oxygen concentrators deliver very dry gas – close to 0% humidity – which can irritate the nose and throat during long daily use. A humidifier bottle bubbles the oxygen through water so it arrives at your cannula comfortably humidified. Setup: fill with distilled or cooled boiled water to between the MIN and MAX lines, screw the bottle firmly onto the concentrator’s humidifier outlet (cross-threading is the most common cause of leaks), and connect your cannula – via the humidifier connector tube if your setup requires one. Hygiene is essential: change the water daily and never top up old water; clean and disinfect the bottle weekly. A neglected bottle can grow bacteria that travel straight into your airway. Continuous flow only: never fit a humidifier bottle to a pulse-dose portable concentrator – water can be drawn back toward the machine.
