A waterbed requires significantly more time and effort to prepare for moving than a standard mattress. Typically, waterbeds weigh upwards of 1,500 pounds, which means you cannot place it in your regular moving truck without draining the water from it. Unless, of course, you want to pay for the damage on the car. At the same time, you don’t leave the waterbed; it’s not cheap, and you will likely try to repurchase one when you arrive at your new home.
To disassemble and pack your waterbed, you need to follow a few steps, outlined below so that it will stand the rigors of travel. Otherwise, you can consult furniture-moving companies in Baton Rouge, Louisiana about the best course of action for your waterbed.
Disassembly
How you drain your waterbed usually depends on the size and the model of the mattress itself. Whip out your owner’s manual to find the unit’s production number or call the manufacturer to verify. If you have a mattress heater, unplug it before you drain the waterbed and let it cool for an hour or so. Leaving it on or draining the waterbed while it’s still hot can scorch the mattress.
The waterbed will need time to drain properly, but you can start doing this at least 24 hours before you move. You need at least two to three hours for the draining itself, but you might need more if you want to dry the insides of the waterbed before you pack it for the move. If you’re doing this, place it in a dry place, such as a garage, but put a mattress conditioner on the inside to prevent the growth of mold and mildew.
Draining
You have several methods to choose from when draining your mattress, which will vary depending on the type of your bed. The first is called a straight-siphon method, which, as you might deduce, just means opening the water valve on your mattress, attaching a hose to it, and letting gravity do its work. This can take a little over an hour to accomplish.
Another way is to use a drain pump, which can take more time than a straight-siphon approach. This, however, is useful for a single-layer baffled waterbed mattress. For baffled mattresses with multiple layers of fiber, an electric drain pump is more advisable, as the threads need to be pumped until they’re completely flat for easy and convenient transport. When using this method, stay on top of the process, because you need to turn the pump off right after the draining is completed or the pump-head will burn.
A wet-dry vacuum can take care of remaining liquid in your mattress after draining.
Packing
A dry mattress can be folded or rolled, but it depends on the type of bed. When rolling a baffled mattress, do it like a rug; that is, roll from the head to the foot, and when done, put a wardrobe box to either end of the mattress. Non-baffled mattresses should be folded, while a mattress heater should be rolled. For the bed frame itself, remove all screws and bolts and place it in a clear bag with a label and wrap all wooden pieces with soft packing paper.
Moving a waterbed doesn’t need to be stressful and complicated—as long as you follow these tips.
