Home Frequently Asked Questions  
   
     
  General Questions....  
     
   
     
  Benefits  
     
  Aside from the comfort of sleeping on a waterbed, there are many other benefits. The warmth of the waterbed heater, the even support, and for some, the gentle motion of a semi-waveless mattress can have a calming effect, inducing sleep and countering the stress of everyday life.
A waterbed offers total body support, easing body aches. For those that must be confined for long periods to their bed, the water displacement that causes a state of weightlessness also eliminates pressure on the skin reducing the occurrence of bedsores.		  
     
  What type of bed will suit me?  
     
  Strictly speaking there is no rule to this question, most people over time develop their own preferences as to what type of bed suits their needs.
The overwhelming favourite with waterbed connoisseurs is the softside waterbed, this is only because hardside waterbeds can be a little uncomfortable when sitting on the side of the frame to get in and out of bed, however when it comes to sleeping comfort there is no difference between the softside and hardside waterbed
The amount of layers in any waterbed mattress greatly alters the users perception of motion stability; this ranges from free flow to ultra stable, and the average customer aims somewhere in-between; we shall use an analogy to convey the different layer types. A conventional sprung mattress comes in approximately four different tensions they are…. Soft, medium, firm, and ultra firm, people under twelve stone in bodyweight are suited to the soft and medium, whilst people of twelve stone or over are more suited to firm and extra firm, this approximate guideline can also be used on waterbeds, where a freeflow and 2 layer mattress is equal to soft and medium and a 3 – 5 layer is equal to firm and extra firm		  
     
  Back Pain  
     
  Back pain sufferers often find the total body support of a waterbed the only comfortable surface they can find for sleeping. Since the spine is relieved of pressure, allowing it to relax, and the soothing warmth relieves sore muscles, those with back pain wake in the morning feeling rested.  
     
  Arthritis  
     
  A warm waterbed can improve circulation, bringing relief to rheumatism sufferers and those with poor blood circulation. Painful arthritic joints can prevent a good night's sleep, but the warmth of a
waterbed, along with the low pressure of the waterbed surface can have arthritis sufferers waking up with less morning stiffness and fully rested again.		  
     
  Allergy Sufferers  
     
  For allergy sufferers, a vinyl waterbed bag, properly cared for, is a more sanitary sleeping surface, reducing considerably the population of dust mites found on and in regular mattresses; remember the vinyl mattress is a non-porous membrane unlike conventional sprung mattresses which harbor dead skin cells and dust mites that aggravate conditions like asthma and other respiratory disorders; with a regular cleaning program, about once a month wipe down the vinyl surface of a waterbed bag with your vinyl cleaner when the bedding is changed this helps prevent build up of foreign bodies and also looks after the vinyl mattress.  
     
  Insomnia  
     
  Although the debate continues to rage within the scientific community as to why we actually need sleep, nobody can argue the crucial role sleep plays in our daily lives, briefly there are four stages of sleep with the most important stage being the fourth stage otherwise known as Delta sleep, this is where the body’s core temperature falls to its lowest point and almost all bodily functions become paralyzed, crucially though this is where the body enters an accelerated growth and repair cycle allowing our batteries to get a full charge as it where. A conventional mattress unlike a waterbed mattress does not support all of the body’s weight in equal amounts this causes reduced blood
circulation and decreases our level of comfort; it is for this reason the average person will adjust their body’s position 60-80 times a night whereby this number is greatly reduced on a waterbed ensuring uninterrupted sleep thus allowing more Delta sleep allowing us to feel more refreshed and alert when we wake.		  
     
  Burns and bedsores  
     
  People confined to bed for long periods, the elderly, the sick etc often suffer from painful bedsores, however with the reduction of pressure points and equal weight distribution lesions are less likely to occur and indeed if in the event they do they are able to heal more freely. There is a great deal of interest from the medical community regards burns victims due to the fact that blood circulation is not impaired and therefore the healing process is quicker overall.  
     
  Pregnancy  
     
  Expectant mothers have told us their waterbed has made sleeping a pleasure again. Backaches are greatly diminished, and the giving surface is perfect for their changing body contours. Many feel their babies are calmerwhen mom sleeps on a waterbed.  
     
  Hygiene  
     
  A waterbed is the most hygienic surface you can sleep on. Conventional sprung mattresses trap and collect body ash, dust mites and other debris making this the perfect breeding ground for bed bugs and other organisms by stark contrast a waterbed mattress is a impervious membrane therefore body ash, dust mites etc find it impossible to co-exist on a waterbed mattress, in conjunction to this fact conventional mattresses are sprayed with chemicals and resins to flame proof them that may prove to be harmful to humans, there are no such problemswith a waterbed mattress.  
     
  How it works!  
     
  A waterbed works by using hydraulic pressure within the mattress to exert firm support on the upper surface, meaning the pressure on your body remains uniform, additionally you are being supported by the principle element......water, with almost the same specific gravity as the human body which is two thirds water.
  
     
  Strictly speaking there are two common forms of waterbed, known as the Softside or Hardside, however the two can be combined. Firstly we shall begin to look at the Hardside model and we have provided an illustration so you can visualize how they work, the Hardside waterbed is housed in a solid timber frame usually 1-2 inches thick and around 9 inches deep, this frame is fixed on what we call a pedestal, which is basically a way of distributing the weight evenly over a large surface area, in turn the deck sheets are lay down on the pedestal then the whole frame is screwed together with brackets to make the bed has robust as possible; next we place the heater on the deck sheets;
 
  now we place the safety liner against the wall's of the timber frame and secure in position, then it is simply a case of squarely placing the mattress in the frame attaching the water pump and filling the bed with water, adding the water conditioner and placing the mattress cover on our newly installed waterbed; the final point is setting the thermostat to the required temperature.  
     
  The Softside waterbed works on exactly the same principle as the hardside waterbed yet looks exactly like a conventional bed. The Divan bases are constructed from solid wood and designed to distribute the load evenly over a large surface area. Lay down the divan bases next to each other, and the foam bath is then placed on top of the divan bases. The foam bath is made of a high-density foam (CMHR38) its typical depth is 8 inches and this is the housing for the water mattress. When the foam bath is in place, pop in the heater, and install the safety liner; when this is done place the water mattress in the foam bath as square as you can and fill the mattress with water, add the water conditioner and zip on the cover, this traps in the heat; again like the hardside  
  waterbed, the thermostat governs how warm the bed will be; warm in the winter months and cool in the summer months.  
     
  Layers  
       
  Free Flow
Contains no fibre, and as the same suggests, it will move for at least 15-20 seconds before settling.
Traditionally, this is how a waterbed was made, giving rise to the image that a waterbed will make you seasick.
 
     
  Semi Motionless (50%)
Stops moving after about 8-10 seconds. With only a small price increase as you step up through the range.
 
     
  Waveless (75%)
With about 4-6 seconds movement, this mattress still has the feel of sleeping on a waterbed, but you are no longer disturbed by the movement of the water.
 
     
  Motionless (95%)
The mattress has a little movement and it readjusts to your body shape. The Motionless is a popular mattress.
 
     
  Fully Stablised (99%)
The mattress is filled with layers of fibre (baffles) which will absorb nearly all the waters movement making this mattress fully stabilised.
 
     
  Dual System
With your choice of motion
1. Water displaced by one person does not affect the other. (Important if one person is of above average weight.
2. Although movement is slightly transmitted from one mattress to the other, it is greatly reduced.
3. Each mattress has its own temperature control.
 
     
  Seasickness  
     
  Seasickness, or feeling nauseous because of motion, is very unlikely. A free flow waterbed does have a fair amount of motion though, and although some find this relaxing, the motion may disturb others. It is a mistake to miss out on the benefits of sleeping on water because the motion may bother you. Today, we have wave less waterbed mattressesthat contain layers and are almost as still as a conventional bed, but offering the comfort of a waterbed.  
     
  Do they burst?  
     
  No...... lets remember vinyl is commonly used in a wide range of industry for its extreme tough and durable properties therefore it is extremely unlikely your mattress will leak if in the event you do experience a leak it can easily and quickly be fixed with a vinyl repair kit, acting purely as a precautionary measure, a vinyl safety liner is included with all of our waterbeds and this will catch any water that seeps from the hole, since the mattress is not pressurized it's simply
impossible for water to spray out of any hole or tear.		  
     
  Will it be too heavy for my floor?  
     
  The weight of a waterbed is spread over a large area, when broken down into a square inch many of the worlds waterbeds are actually lighter than a washing machine which is a heavy article condensed into a small area, strictly speaking the average waterbed weighs roughly the same has six average adults; of the waterbeds sold worldwide many of these have been installed into a variety of abodes including, mobile homes, listed buildings, flats, hotels, solid timber houses plus more, all of which have caused no known problems.  
     
  Are they noisy?  
     
  No.... all waterbeds should be silent if installed correctly; any noise signifies the presence of air and you will get a sloshing noise, this can be prevented by burping the mattress, which is simply a matter of removing the cap and stopper from the valve of the mattress, and starting at the head end performing a downwards sweep across the bed with a broom handle or something similar working the air down the bed and out of the valve, repeat this process a couple of times, any small traces of air may be expelled by using one of our air extractors. With the natural presence of bacteria in the water, photosynthesis will occur and will result in a little air from time to time this symptom can be alleviated by using a quality conditioner as supplied by waterbedwarehouse.  
     
  Will it be cold?  
     
  All waterbedwarehouse waterbeds are equipped with state of art heaters that have been designed specifically for waterbeds, using a thermostat you can customize the temperature of your bed to suit your needs, keeping you warm in the winter months and cool in the summer months; being able to have a constant temperature, is beneficial to blood circulation.  
     
  History  
     
  About 10 centuries ago, people found certain materials better than bare ground for sleeping. Leaves, pine needles, animal skins and any other materials were used to provide some degree of warmth and comfort.

A few centuries later the Egyptians, the pioneers of science, decided they would raise the bed off the cold floor. Royalty had beds of ebony and gold, but commoners made due with palm leaves heaped in the corner. Other cultures buried hot embers under sand, added a little water that turned to steam to provide the necessary warmth required for a cozy night.

During the Roman Empire, the wealthy had mattresses stuffed with reeds, hay, wool, or feathers. During this time period the Greeks, Persians, and Romans discovered the benefits of sleeping on water by filling goatskins with water.

During the Renaissance period, people covered their mattress stuffing with a coarse ticking, and then used sumptuous materials like velvets, silks, and brocades over the mattresses.

The 16th century found people placing their mattresses on a latticework of ropes. The ropes needed tightening on a regular basis. Hence, the saying "sleep tight" was born.

By the 18th century we find the cast iron bed and cotton mattresses. Together, they provided a sleeping space that was less attractive to bugs. Until that time, assorted vermin were commonly accepted unavoidable in even the most royal beds.
In 1851 William Hooper devised the invalid floatation mattress, one of the first mattresses to use the Archimedes principle to achieve a state of weightlessness for bedridden patients.
In 1865 a patent was awarded for the first coil spring mattress.
In 1873 Neil Arnott attempted to construct a practical floatation sleep system based on Hooper’s concept, however this was soon due to fail because there was insufficient durable materials required.

The world's most versatile plastic had a rather humble beginning: A rubber scientist during the early 1920s stumbled onto a new material with fantastic properties during his search for a synthetic adhesive. Waldo Semon was intrigued with his finding, and experimented by making golf balls and shoe heels out of the versatile material called polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, however this relatively new invention allowed the modern waterbed to become a truly pragmatic concept.

Then, in 1969, Charles Hall applied for a patent for the forerunner of today's waterbed mattress. Evolving from a design project he had done for a graduate program when he was a student at San Francisco State University, ongoing Improvements in construction and design have brought the benefits of sleeping on water to the attention of the general public.

By the 1980's, America had a phenomenal explosion with waterbed sales accounting for 15% of the bedding retail industry, since then the rest of the world has also shown a great deal of interest in
waterbeds, with Australia, Scandinavia and parts of Europe in particular showing heavy sales, although sales in the UK have been unparalleled with regard to other areas, this is something Waterbedwarehouse is aiming to reverse

 
 
 
 
© 2005 Waterbedwarehouse Ltd. All rights reserved
  
 
We accept the following cards:
  
 
 
 
 
     
 
Home | Waterbeds | Accessories | Furniture | About | Terms | Privacy | FAQ | Contact