Patent ID: 8376322

Claim:
A method for flushing a steam humidifier having a water reservoir, the steam humidifier having a heating state for heating water in the water reservoir to generate steam, and a non-heating state, wherein the steam humidifier is configured to alternate between the heating state and the non-heating state during normal operation, the method comprising: (a) executing a flush routine, wherein during the flush routine, the water reservoir is flushed; (b) after the flush routine is executed, alternating between the heating state, during which the steam humidifier heats the water in the water reservoir to generate steam, and the non-heating state, for a run time period; (c) if the steam humidifier enters the non-heating state during a window of time following the end of the run time period, executing the flush routine again; and (d) repeating steps (b)-(c) one or more times.