How Do I Tell Where My Soft Side Water Bed Is Leaking?

Be Sure You Have A Leak

• The first things to rule out when trying to find a leak in a soft side water bed are the things that are not leaks at all. If you've experienced water on the outside of your water bed while filling it, be sure that your fill nozzle is fitting properly. Place a towel around the area, between the mattress and the head board. Often a drop of water can leak out of the hose connection. The towel will prevent the water from running downhill and making it look like there is a leak where there isn't one. If you still have water around the fill site after the water bed is full, you may have a leak.

  You may also think you have a leak after waking up with wet pajamas. If you aren't using a mattress pad, the heated vinyl covering can cause you to perspire in your sleep. Put on a mattress pad, turn down the water temperature, and see if the "leak" goes away.

Locating A Leak

• If you're sure you have a leak, the next step is tracking it down. If the bed is full, do not empty it. Strip the bed of sheets and mattress pad. It is rare for a leak to occur on the bottom of a water bed. Even if that is where you found the water, it most likely trickled there from somewhere on top.

  Towel off the top of water bed and any water that is between the mattress and the protective liner. Kneel on the mattress to apply pressure and search the top, sides and corners, especially around seams. If you've experienced wet sheets, start at the end of the bed where the wetness occurred. In most cases, you can rule out one-half to three-quarters of the bed in this way.

  When you narrow the area down, dry it off again and stick some paper towels to the top of the mattress with tape. Apply more pressure and check the paper towels to see where the wetness starts. Circle any wet spots on the paper towels with a marker so you can repair them or point them out to a service technician.

  If the mattress was drained before the leak could be found and repaired, fill the mattress up with air using a shop vac or air compressor. Using either a rag or a spray bottle, wet the area suspected of leaking with soapy water. If there is a leak, the soap in the water will cause bubbles to appear.