Waterbed
A waterbed is a bed whose mattress is filled with water.
history
Nomadic desert peoples have known the principle of the water mattress since ancient times. They fill sewn goat skins with water and tie them on the back of their camels. In the desert, water is primarily a drinking reserve, but the water bag heats up during the day and serves as a warming pad at night.
At the end of the 19th century, doctors began to use water basins covered with rubber tarpaulin to provide pain relieving beds for patients who had suffered severe burns; see hydrostatic bed .
In the 1960s , the development and marketing of waterbeds for domestic use began.
technology
A distinction is made between softside and hardside waterbeds:
- Softside: the water core lies in a heat-insulating foam tub (can be built into any bed in which a plinth can be placed or free-standing)
- Hardside: the water core is held all around by a stable furniture frame
In addition, most waterbed manufacturers offer a split or something similar. This is a softside with an integrated frame in the base plate pad.
Special variants:
- Gel bed: Granules are added to the water with which a thin or thick gel mass can be produced, which can also be changed later. Due to the viscosity (toughness) of the gel mass, heating is only possible with special heating systems and is not necessary with a corresponding construction.
- Hose systems: water mattresses with a limited displacement effect. Advantage: easy transport when moving.
A fleece is placed in the water mattress to calm the waves. This means that the damping can be adjusted as required. By moving the fleece in the area of the upper body, sinking in in this area can be reduced and sagging in heavy people can be avoided. All water beds are available in different calming levels. The most common subdivisions are "unsteady" (free-flow), "moderately calmed", "strongly calmed" and "ultra calmed". In addition, some water mattresses in the lumbar region are supported by various systems. There are significant differences in the processing and material quality of fleece cushioning, which have an impact on the durability of the comfort. Since the human body is heavier on the trunk than on the acra , it can sink more strongly into the water mattress in the lumbar region .
Quality differences can mainly be found in the connections at the corners. The simplest versions are simply thermally welded, with aging of the vinyl and mechanical stress it can break. Better versions are welded and glued accordingly. Hardside waterbeds have a waterproof fabric cover as an additional outer cover, making it practically impossible for the water to leak out. A zipper enables this cover to be removed.
Hardside
Hardside waterbeds were the first systems on the market. Here the water core extends to the stable bed frame, whereby the effective lying surface in the water area covers the largest possible area. It is not always easy to get out of the bed, as the water mattress in particular sinks in relation to the stable edge of the bed when you leave the bed and so the height difference has to be overcome. Sitting on the edge of the bed is therefore not very comfortable. That is why hardsiders are rarely offered today. An advantage compared to the softside bed is the lower surface tension, as the cover on the hardside does not go over the foam frame, but directly over the water mattress and, if necessary, safety film. The adaptation of the water mattress to the body is even more precise here.
Softside
Softside beds have a heat-insulating foam frame that takes on the holding function of the hard-side bed frame. The Softside frame can therefore be set up independently of a bed frame and can be built into almost any frame with a corresponding base. The foam frame should make getting in and out more comfortable. Some models have a wood reinforcement inlaid in the foam, which is supposed to prevent the foam from bulging outwards after a few years. One variant are split soft-side systems. Here, the foam border is divided horizontally on the outside to make the mattress appear less thick. This makes it easier to make the bed and you can do without extra high sheets. The lower part of the foam frame can be covered with a decorative fabric and then acts like a bed frame. The latest development in this area are plastic profiles, which replace the lower foam frame and create a stable bed frame by means of inserted decorative panels. Such decorative frame or NT systems can be mounted on any base / pedestal.
The disadvantage of a soft-side bed compared to a hard-side bed is that you lose five to ten centimeters of lying area all around. That is why softside beds are often longer than the standard bed size of 200 centimeters. Some manufacturers use foams that have a tapered shape that extends the effective water-lying area.
Solo and dual systems
If you sleep two in bed, you should consider whether you want a solo water bubble or a dual system with two water bubbles. A waterbed should be adjusted to the weight, calmness and temperature preference of the user. If there are major differences in weight, temperature differences, calming preferences or if you sleep alone from time to time, then it is advisable to think about a dual system. This can be adjusted individually to the needs of the user. Furthermore, some manufacturers also offer hybrid solutions for dual systems. These are solutions in which one partner sleeps on a water bladder while the other has a different mattress core (foam or spring core).
Heating
All types are usually heated from below by means of foil heaters, ceramic heating elements or carbon heaters. The temperature is thermostatically controlled by a sensor on the heating element . A heating process is usually displayed on the temperature controller as a function check. The set temperature should not fall significantly below the skin temperature of 27–28 ° C. Below 25 ° C there is a risk that the body will cool down due to the large amount of water. For most people, a comfortable temperature is between 28 and 30 ° C. A closed cover of the bed z. B. a bedspread increases the temperature at the top of the mattress and reduces energy loss and consumption.
Due to the high heat capacity of the water, the water core only cools down slightly overnight. There are also waterbeds without electricity-fed heating, which insulate from the water temperature with insulation covers, which means that there is no need to warm up. When using such a cover, there is no temperature regulation and muscle relaxation through the supply of heat. If the construction is incorrect, humidity can condense on unheated water mattresses and lead to the formation of mold that is hazardous to health.
lifespan
Waterbed polyvinyl chloride and weld seams with plasticizers in accordance with the permissible DIN standards last for a few years to decades, depending on the quality, depending primarily on the quality of the weld seams (single or double welded).
The water core foil should be cleaned of dirt and salts every few months with special vinyl cleaners to keep it supple. The water in the core is protected from microbial infestation by a conditioning solution (contains e.g. didecyldimethylammonium chloride ) in order to prevent fermentation gases inside the mattress. It is necessary to refill the conditioning solution approximately once a year, essentially depending on the quality of the solution, the temperature of the water bed and the purity of the water filled in.
Waterbed fabric covers should absorb the sweat well and release it into the room air as quickly as possible during the day due to the rising warmth. From a bed size of 180 cm × 200 cm, fabric covers are often divisible so that they fit in the household washing machine .
Water beds cause running costs for care products and energy consumption. The heating costs are mainly dependent on the temperature of the water bed and the ambient temperature, as well as the insulation or covering of the water bed, since the water bed heats the environment accordingly.
advantages
The views regarding advantages and disadvantages, especially with regard to lying comfort, are subjective and are therefore not quoted. Individuals are more affected by some points than others.
- Hygiene: The fabric cover can be removed and washed in the washing machine and the vinyl surface is simply wiped off. This means that allergens such as house dust, mites and their droppings can be almost completely removed, and the mattress is practically as clean as it was when you bought it. Mites cannot get into the mattress.
- The mattress dries quickly with daily ventilation, as only the fabric cover needs to dry.
- The temperature can be regulated and thus a comfortable temperature can be achieved, especially in winter, even at a cool room temperature.
- An even load and the avoidance of pressure points is given by the filling with a liquid, pressure points are potentially avoided. This means that water beds are used in hospitals and in the care sector, among other things. Predecessors were used as the hydrostatic bed for care as early as the middle of the 19th century. Health insurance companies now officially recognize waterbeds as an aid for anti- decubitus treatment .
- Acoustic modulation of the water with music is used for relaxation and supports therapies.
- With two mattresses, conventional double beds have a gap and the edge area of the mattresses, which does not offer the same comfort as the core area of the mattresses. If a mattress is occupied by more than one person, the lying effects are unsuitable. The water mattress offers uniform comfort over the entire lying area and adapts individually to the people lying on it, practically independent of the distance to the side or the number of people lying down.
- Permanent deformation due to long-term heavy loads ("sagging") of the water mattress is practically impossible.
disadvantage
- Usually higher acquisition costs, plus running costs (conditioner, care, cleaning)
- Heating costs for electrical heating for around 200–500 kWh / year. The costs depend on the room and water temperature as well as the size, insulation and coverage of the waterbed.
- Due to the material, body moisture can only escape upwards and, if there is insufficient ventilation, collect on the bed.
- Allergies due to the chemical components of the polyvinyl chloride surface of the water bags are very rare . The PVC contains approx. 20-40% plasticizers , which are mostly health problems and should actually be avoided.
- Algae formation and possible " overturning " of the water with poor maintenance. Waterbeds must be treated regularly (around once a year) with care products (conditioning solution) in order to maintain the quality of the water. These agents are supposed to fight algae , fungi and bacteria and are pollutants. In addition, they partially diffuse to the outside through the PVC shell.
- High weight: large water beds (180 cm × 200 cm) weigh around 50 kg for the mattress and bed frame and around 750 kg for the water filling; The associated higher load on the ceiling structure must be taken into account, especially in old buildings.
- Restricted mobility of the bed, since a complete emptying and filling is necessary to change the position due to the high weight, combined with time expenditure and the availability of a water pump for emptying. It is usually filled via the domestic water pipe.
See also
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Interesting facts about the waterbed | FACHVERBAND WASSERBETT eV In: Fachverband Wasserbett eV ( fachverband-wasserbett.de [accessed on June 29, 2018]).