Customer Tips

When we deliver and install your bed we give you a booklet that shows you how your bed goes together, and how to look after it. We also give you advice on adjusting your bed for maximum comfort, plus any accessories you will need.

We often come across people who have bought their bed elsewhere and were never really shown how to look after it.

So here are a few general tips.

Adjusting to your new waterbed

It can take a little while to get used to any new bed. You sleep very differently on a waterbed with different pressure points, sleeping position and temperature control. Instead of you trying to hold a comfortable position, the bed holds you. You have to learn to relax! So allow a few days to adjust, once you have, you will never go back to a conventional bed. We always encourage you to fine tune your bed, a few jugs of water either way and your bed will be even more comfortable! 

Temperature

Some people set their thermostat at around 28 degrees and keep that temperature all the year round.

Most however change the setting with the four seasons. To be comfortable and sleep well, we recommend you set your bed between 25 and 28 degrees, summer to winter. Below 25 degrees the body is chilled and you will perspire. The bed will remain cool and clammy and will not air itself  properly during the day. Above 28-30 degrees you will get hot and sticky!

We recommend you use a thin duvet in the summer and medium duvet in winter. If you use a thick duvet you will get hot and compensate by turning down the thermostat and end up on a cool clammy mattress.

How much water.

When we set up or move your bed, we will show you how to adjust your bed for maximum comfort.

Waterbeds are adjustable, a few jugs either way changes the feel of the bed. The temptation is to overfill. There has to be enough slack, to allow for the hips and shoulders and give good support to the lower back. Waterbeds work on support not firmness.

If you get bigger over the years take out water, if you lose weight add water. That way the bed will remain comfortable and supportive, year after year. 

We do come across beds that are very underfilled or overfilled especially those bought secondhand. People still sleep well but are amazed when the bed is properly adjusted.

If you are unsure about something, give us a call. The advice is free, we are more than happy to help!

Air

Your bed should be silent. If you can hear the water, de-air the bed. It is easy to let air in when you add conditioner or adjust the amount of water. The trick is to pull up the filler, let go and hold at that level before taking off the cap and plug.

( If you pull up the filler and take off the cap and plug, the water level drops, allowing air in)

By regularly adding  waterbed conditioner, Akva Longlife, you will not only keep the water fresh but also help reduce air forming in the mattress.

If you are still troubled by air we can supply Aqua Quiet that should neutralise air formation.

Air also sometimes forms when the bed changes temperature.

Keep the bed well covered. Don’t strip the bed, it airs itself through the bedding during the day. Always re-cover the bed when you get up and an extra day cover helps the bed keep an even temperature.

Cleaning

One of the main benefits of a waterbed is that you can sleep on a clean aired bed. All our divan waterbeds have a zip off cover. Any dust that gets through the cover can be easily removed with a damp cloth, from the mattress and safety liner. We supply waterbed vinyl cleaner Akva Wash and Akva Guard, that also protects the mattress vinyl. We suggest that you clean the mattress when you wash the cover. (Check washing instructions on your cover) At the same time check the safety liner is in place and undamaged.

Akva produce a zip off cover with a special membrane that acts as a barrier to dust and can be washed up to 95 degrees, reducing the need to clean the mattress. We supply this cover as standard.

Moving the bed

Compared to standard beds waterbeds have one disavantage, they take a little while to drain down and re-set up. The water is syphoned out, the bed comes apart, is re-assembled and refilled (you will need fresh conditioner.) 

Our beds are supplied with a manual showing how to move your bed. You generally don’t need a pump, a garden hose and tap connector are fine.We can supply an airtight connector that fits to the mattress. It helps with emptying the mattress and keeps the stabilising fibre in position

A lot of our customers move their beds. If you need any advice or would prefere us to do it, give us a call.

Bedding

You sleep at the bed temperature rather than room temperature. So you don’t need a heavy duvet. We recommend a 4-5 tog for summer,7- 9 tog for winter. Cover your bed when you get up, perhaps with an extra day cover if the room is cold.

Wash the zip off cover according to the washing instructions. Akva covers are designed to be washed regularly and can be washed up to 95 degrees. Akva also offer the option of split covers for the larger beds, so they will fit easily into a standard washing machine. You can use standard poly-cotton or percale fitted sheets on most of our beds. We also stock high quality satin bedding and Akva Sateen sheets(cotton satin).

With the hard-side frame beds you need a fitted mattress protector and hard-side fitted sheets (normally in stock)

When to change the mattress

If you occasionally adjust your mattress, add conditioner every twelve months and keep it clean, your bed will stay comfortable and supportive year after year.

Over many years mattress vinyl will age, and over time becomes less supple. If you keep it indefinitely you will eventually get a pinhole leak. Fixing a leak is fairly straightforward but if your mattress is ancient, get a new one and new safety liner. We recommend you change the mattress and liner at least every eight to ten years.

If you do get a leak follow the instructions with your bed or give us a call. It is rarely more than a cupful of water which is held in the safety liner. With a patch kit and a couple of towels repairing a pinhole leak is normally fairly straightforward, taking only a few minutes, normally without the need to empty the bed.

All this adjusting, cleaning and fiddling about with thermostats may seem a lot of effort. It’s not, it’s common sense and easy to do. And you end up with a bed that is a joy to sleep on. And more important, quality sleep night after night, year after year.

Whether you are one of our customers or not. If you have any queries do e-mail or better still give us a call. We are here to help.