Installation

• Waterbeds are best professionally installed, although you can do it yourself with a kit and a garden hose. The water required to fill up a bed varies depending on the size of the bed, the weight of those using the bed and personal preference. Though water amount isn't exact, it's best to rely on advice from the bed maker or seller. After it's filled, the bed will have air left that you have to expel out through a valve. Other air bubbles will occasionally develop, and when this happens, vent those out as well.
  
  

Materials and Construction

• Waterbeds are made of vinyl, with a safety liner that helps contain leaks. The bed will either have a wooden frame or covered foam side pieces. Waterbeds are made so that even when the valve is open, water won't come out accidentally. The materials used are such that leaks due to puncture aren't common in a waterbed, and any that do occur are patched easily. Beds have a heating unit that keeps the bed at a uniform temperature. The heat is adjustable.
  
  

Mattress Life

• Waterbeds can last longer than conventional beds. If you take care of them, they'll last about twice as long as foam or spring mattresses. Because waterbeds are filled with water, they won't sag, even at the end of their life spans. In terms of maintainance, waterbeds need a water conditioner treatment twice a year or so. The conditioner keeps the water clean and the vinyl supple. The vinyl should also be wiped every so often.
  
  

Health Benefits

• Since waterbeds are made from vinyl, they don't cause a problem for those suffering from dust allergies or asthma. Additionally, a waterbed provides full body support, a plus for those with back pain and stiffness. The even support also is better for circulation, and there is no worry of bed sores. The even warmth of a waterbed can promote better sleep as well as be soothing to those with joint problems.
  
  

Types

• Waterbeds have two basic types: those with hardsided mattresses and those with softsided mattresses. Hardsided mattresses are those with wooden frames, while softsided beds use foam sides. Softsided waterbeds look much like regular beds, often cost more than hardsided mattresses and are easier to get into and out of than hardsided mattresses. Mattress sizes range from twin through king. Waveless mattresses don't have the same water motion of other waterbeds. A dual mattress is one that uses two mattresses to create one bed. It allows two sleepers to have different comfort preferences.