FAQs - Page 5

30. Don’t the plastics in waterbed contain hazardous substances?

Water mattresses are these days generally made from quality vinyls, entirely safe to users.

31. What kind of water is used in a waterbed?

Ordinary mains water.

32. How often do I have to change the water?

The water in a watermattress only needs to be changed if you move house. A conditioner is added at regular intervals to prevent growth of algae and bacteria in your watermattress.

33. How do I have to look after my waterbed?

The conditioner that is added at regular intervals keeps the water in your watermattress fresh. Apart from that, you can clean the mattress surface with a special vinyl cleaner. You can also wash or clean most covers. How the cover has to be cleaned depends on the particular washing instructions. All this means that a waterbed is a perfectly hygienic sleeping system. With regular maintenance, you can also avoid the build-ups of skin scales, body salts, house dust mites, bacteria and moulds that you get with traditional mattresses. This is particularly beneficial for allergy sufferers.

34. Is a waterbed easy to move when you move house?

That depends on the type and make. Some makes can be dismantled into convenient parts that fit into an ordinary private car. It is important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions when emptying and refilling a watermattress. Most waterbed dealers also provide a removal service.

35. Can you make a waterbed firmer by filling it up more?

Usually not. This only holds for tube watermattresses. Every waterbed has its ideal volume of water, determined by the height of the mattress, the shape of the mattress and the weight of the users. How firm a mattress feels depends more on the stabilisation system used and any extra pelvic support there is in the watermattress. Most makes offer various grades of stabilisation and you can choose the one that suits you best.

36. Do the foam edges of a soft-side waterbed hold their shape?

The latest waterbeds, in which non-deformable plastic profiles are used in the construction of the side walls, guarantee that the waterbed will not lose its shape. With these beds, the upper foam edge can also be replaced separately, even without the watermattress’s having to be emptied. Top quality makes guarantee the foam parts as well as the watermattress.

37. Will I sweat more in a waterbed?

No. The heating element in a waterbed can be set to any temperature you like. Most waterbed users prefer a temperature between 27 ºC and 30 ºC. Because the heat comes from underneath in a waterbed, no condensation will form in the core of the mattress as happens in a traditional mattress. Fifteen minutes airing is enough to let the moisture absorbed into the cover evaporate.

38. Are waterbeds heated?

Waterbeds are always heated by a specially designed heating element. Usually the water temperature is set at skin temperature, which is normally around 28 ºC. Good heating elements, however, allow you to set the temperature accurately, so that you can adjust it however you like. That pleasant warmth is one of the properties of a waterbed that is most appreciated.

39. How does the heating work and is it safe?

Waterbed heating comprises a heating mat and an adjustable thermostat. The heating mat is installed under the watermattress and is connected to the thermostat, which is sited outside the bed. Good heating elements have a heat sensor built into the element itself and are electrically safeguarded.