Do I Need a Heater In My Water bed?
Is a waterbed heater essential and necessary or is my bed going to become a giant ice cube without it?
Frankly one answer comes to mind when I think of a of what one of these beds would be like without a heater, that is a big ole Arctic Brrr!!! A water bed without a heater is like pancakes without syrup and a car without an engine. This one seems like a “No Brain-er” to us yet every day waterbed retailers and manufacturers market their waterbeds without them. Let me be crystal clear, I would never consider selling a water bed without a heater and there are a number of reasons why.
Goose bumps aren't the only problem if your waterbed doesn't have a heater.
- Sleeping in a waterbed is like getting in a swimming pool the very first time after filling the pool in early spring. Waterbeds are no different, cold water can draw heat from the body faster than cool air basically causing aches and pains even mild hypothermia. Using a heater set at a low temperature, especially under 80ºF can cause disrupted sleep through the night and you metabolism to slow down. The optimal mattress temperature setting is about 87ºF.
If this temperature is too hot or too cold, gradually turn the setting up or down just one or two degrees at a time. - Water bed mattresses are made of vinyl and warm vinyl lasts longer than cold vinyl because it is more supple and pliable. One of the best examples of this is to get into a cold car in the middle of winter and you will probably notice the stiff inflexible vinyl seat coverings.
- Lastly a cold water mattress can cause unhealthy mold to form. This happens when body moisture or humidity contacts your cold mattress and condenses, this moisture and dirt can cause mold. Similar problems are common with airbeds, which are not heated do to very same thing. The problem decreaseswhen the water temperature is 80º or higher.
If your heater is not getting the job done, throw it away and get a new one.
Most are factory sealed units and are not designed to be worked on even by professional electricians. One key reason a heater may not heat correctly is because it was not installed correctly.
