Frequently Asked Questions about Waterbed Part I

In the following section of our article, we devote ourselves to frequent questions about the waterbed that have not yet been answered or not adequately answered.

Baby in the water bed?

The placement of babies in conventional waterbeds is generally viewed rather critically. However, there are some manufacturers who offer special waterbeds for babies. If you are thinking about buying a waterbed for your baby, you should find out about all the options and details in advance.

Can the blanket withstand the waterbed?

The waterbed “cracking” through the ceiling is a myth that leads many to ask before buying whether the ceiling in the apartment can withstand the stress of a filled waterbed at all. As a rule, this concern is unfounded, at least if the ceiling is statically correct and there is no dilapidation. Cases in which the ceiling gave way under the load of the water bed (see for example here: the article in the picture ) are almost exclusively due to construction defects or inadequate statics.

In the case of a waterbed, the load is distributed, which is achieved by weight distributors in the substructure. In this way, a square meter load (weight load per square meter) of around 150 kg to 200 kg is achieved. A filled bookshelf, a large aquarium and its contents, an occupied bathtub with filling, a full refrigerator, a three-seater sofa in the living room with three people on it, or even several people in one room usually place much higher loads on the ceiling.

Anyone who is unsure or generally unsure about the condition of their ceiling should definitely consult a structural engineer before buying and setting up a waterbed. This applies in particular to old buildings or if the future location of the waterbed is on a pointed floor (lower regulations apply here for the ceiling load than for conventional ceilings in buildings).

Can waterbeds burst?

Since the waterbed is a pressureless system, which is made of high-quality materials with high elasticity, the waterbed cannot burst under regular conditions. If, of course, you want to take it seriously and keep filling the waterbed with water, at some point even the best and most flexible material will give way and the water mattress will burst or the welded seams will tear. In the second episode of the ZDF show “Don’t copy” with Wigald Boning and Bernhard Hoëcker, a water bed was filled with four times (!) The amount of water. However, the bed or the water core did not burst, so Mr. Boning had to “pierce” the core in order to let the water escape from the mattress again.

With normal filling, however, a water mattress will not burst or tear. If you sit on the mattress with the filling spout open, very little water will be able to escape. If the surface of the water mattress is damaged, which is very unlikely, the water will usually only drain out of the mattress very slowly and then collect in the bed’s safety tub. So there is hardly any risk of moisture damage.

High-quality waterbeds are usually very insensitive, so that you don’t have to worry about a burst or a seam tear if pets jump on the bed or the children abuse mom and dad’s waterbed as a “trampoline”.

Do water beds make noises?

Waterbeds do not normally make any noise. However, air in the water mattress can cause bubbling or gurgling, which can be easily remedied within the framework of a professional assembly and subsequent venting or by subsequent venting (see: Air in the water bed ).

If the question “Why is my waterbed squeaking?” Arises, it must first be clarified whether it is a free-standing or a built-in waterbed. With a free-standing waterbed that has been professionally set up, squeaking is normally impossible. If the waterbed has been integrated into a regular bed frame, you should start looking for the source of the noise. Are there fittings, e.g. connecting brackets, that are not correctly fixed? Can anything else start moving in bed that should actually be motionless? Only a little patience and “research” help with the clarification, a general answer or problem solution cannot be given at this point.

Back pain in the waterbed?

Water beds are a boon for many people plagued by back pain (see also: water beds for back pain ). However, there is also the downside, so that some waterbed users ask themselves questions like “Why do I get back pain in the water bed?” Or “What to do with back pain in the water bed?”.

If back pain is caused by the waterbed, you should first check whether the water mattress or the filling of the water mattress is optimally tailored to your own body. To do this, you should lie down on the side of the mattress. Now the shoulder and pelvis should sink into the surface of the water mattress and the costal arch should be supported by the water. If another person is now looking at the rear view, it should be possible to mentally draw a straight line across the spine, extending from the first cervical vertebra to the last rump vertebra. If the spine is not so straight, the cause of the back pain has been found and the amount of filling in the water mattress should be corrected.

If the adjustment of the water mattress fits (straight line through the spine in the side position), you should consult a doctor if necessary to further investigate the cause of the back pain. Under certain circumstances, the waterbed is not to blame for the pain symptoms. If you still struggle with the waterbed, you should once again put yourself in the hands of competent specialist advice in order to research possible backgrounds more precisely and, if necessary, to clarify or provide a remedy.

Water Bed FAQ 1