If your mattress is in good condition, all you need to do to make it comfortable for sleeping is pump it up to the desired level, turn off the pump, and get into bed. You will ruin the mattress and the pump if the pump is left on. You should fix the mattress if it leaks enough to make sleeping on it uncomfortable, or you should obtain a new mattress. A reasonably decent air mattress could require a little pumping every few days to maintain the firmness you like.
Never attempt to re-inflate your air mattress while laying on it. It makes it impossible for the mattress to inflate properly. Alternating air pressure pad pumps may wear out when you repeatedly pressurize your air bed with additional pressure. Additionally, if you press down on the bed while the pump tries to force air into it, you risk damaging the bed’s fabric.
Your extremely little air mattress pump engine, pump, and tiny hoses, valves, and connectors are sized and built to “lift” (pressurized) an empty bladder, not another. It is not intended to move a 250-pound person seated on it only because they are “weary.” If you decide to sit on the air mattress, the motor and pump will deteriorate more quickly, and the air mattress won’t fully inflate. But you’ll still need to re-inflate it.
An air mattress might rupture.
Typically, a mattress that has been overinflated won’t immediately burst. If you routinely overinflate your mattress before usage, the seams could “pop.” As the air inside the mattress will be at a higher pressure than the pump can create, a pump used to inflate air mattresses would typically cease pushing air into the mattress before you reach the point when the air mattress would “pop” or burst. At this point, continuing to pump will result in air being blown out of the pump nozzle.
Most contemporary air mattresses have a built-in electric pump, which also shuts off when the pressure inside the mattress reaches its limit. However, suppose you overfill an inflatable mattress with air (i.e., fill it to over 80% capacity). In that case, you risk placing too much pressure on the seams, eventually leading to a seam rip that allows the mattress to lose air and “burst.”
What happens if an air mattress is overinflated?
Yes, it is possible to over inflate an air mattress. Your air mattress will feel less comfortable than one with less air pressure inside of it. Additionally, you risk permanently straining and harming the air bed’s material if you overinflate your hospital bed air mattress. You may shorten your air mattress’ lifespan due to cracks and holes forming. These are the other factors of over inflating your air mattress:
- Uneasy air mattress
Another consequence of over inflating your air mattress is that it will become quite rigid. It may make the mattress uncomfortable to sleep on and make it challenging to get into and out of bed. Furthermore, if you’re not careful, the mattress’ bounce caused by the stiffness can be difficult. Resting on an air mattress that is too full of air can damage your back.
- Tamper with the mattresses fabric
The first thing that happens when you over inflate an air mattress is that the fabric begins to stretch. The seams may crack or even rip as a result of this. If it does, your mattress will have a significant hole, and the air inside will begin to flow out. Even if you don’t immediately create hold in your air bed, overinflating will harm the mattresses material, which will eventually cause cracks to form.
Do’s and Don’ts for air mattresses.
The cost of air mattresses might vary depending on the level of construction. Follow these air mattress usage and storage tips to get the most out of your purchase.
- Avoid using sharp objects near the air mattress.
Your air mattress may be difficult to patch up with holes. The air mattress will probably need to be completely replaced because even interim fixes like duct tape and vinyl repair kits are ineffective. Avoid using anything with a blade near the mattress, such as sharp containers, safety pins, needle clippers, paper clips, or other objects. It is important to remove any potentially damaging items from your pockets before resting down on the mattress.
- Do maintain inflation while in use.
Your air mattress’ seams become overly stressed if you often inflate and deflate it. For instance, instead of blowing up and deflating the mattress daily, leave it inflated for the duration of the guest’s stay if they will be visiting for several days. Note: Don’t sit, lay, or crouch on the air mattress while in the middle of pumping. It may damage both the air mattress and the pump.
- Avoid overfilling
When air mattresses are fully inflated, the seams are under excessive tension. It is advised to only blow your air mattress to about 90% of its capacity, especially the first time you use it. The likelihood of the mattress rupturing increases as you overfill it.
- Deflate the airbag for storage
Air mattresses can be fully inflated in just a few minutes using battery-operated or electrical pumps, but they can take much longer to decompress. Unplugging the air valve and rolling the mattress to release the air before storing it could be tempting. However, the mattress might suffer harm as a result of this.
- Don’t permit animals.
Pets should not be allowed near air mattresses, even if they are accustomed to lying on hospital beds or reclining furniture. Any animal with razor-sharp claws can rip holes in the air mattress that are challenging to patch. The propensity of animals to push off or jump off furniture might strain the mattress seams.
Final Thoughts
It’s simple to fill an air mattress, but you should take care not to overdo it. Use caution when following the instructions for using an air mattress. It is best to avoid lying, sitting, or crouching on the air mattress while it is still inflating. Utilize an air pump with a pressure gauge or determine the mattresses width before inflating it to ensure a restful night’s sleep.
If you plan to use a mattress for more than one night, you should leave it inflated to prevent stress on the fabric from inflating and deflating the air mattress. For more information about air mattresses, contact AvaCare Medical‘s expert medical team through email at info@avacaremedical.com or by calling at 1-877-813-7799.