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In January 2000, my wife and I purchased a queen-sized Serta Perfect Sleeper pillow top mattress set from a local retailer. At this retailer it was called the Baywatch. I remember the price tag being $1100 but we only paid $725 which included a frame and delivery. The mattress was heavenly for many, many years and we loved it. But after about 7 years, despite regular rotating and flipping, it had large deep depressions where we slept and had become less comfortable.
In February 2008, working with the local retailer, Serta replaced the mattress at no cost to us. The replacement was another Serta Perfect Sleeper, a Euro Top called the Italiano Moon. (Although, the one of the tags said itwas made by Restokraft Mattress Company in Romulus, Michigan.) Serta said that the foundation did not need to be replaced. Now, after less than 3 years, the mattress has depressions where we sleep with a ridge in the middle of the bed and we both wake up with aching backs and/or stiff necks.
Part of me thinks no, we can't need a new mattress, this one is only 3 years old. But the other part of me thinks, there are depressions and you wake up with a sore back, it's definitely time to get a new mattress.
Could this mattress really be shot after only 3 years!? |
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What a drag! The three "S's" strike again. There are really two ways to "fix" a mattress with "issues" of construction ... both of which are difficult. The first is by using toppers. This is difficult for many reasons including that you are turning comfort layers on the top of the mattress into support layers and their firmness is not usually suitable for this. The second and this is even more specific to your situation is that the toppers will only follow the coutours of your mattress and if they are already dipping or have lost their resiliency under weight, then the topper will not fix this and your sleeping position would likely be out of alignment. The second is through mattress surgery. This is possible if your support layers (the deeper foam or the innersprings) are still good and would provide a good base to build on. This involves taking your mattress apart and rebuilding it with new layers that you buy. It is certainly less expensive than buying a whole new mattress and could be a real learning experience but it would take time and effort. If you look at the main page of the forum and click on "highlighted threads" you will find several threads with really good information from several who have done this. I think it would be fun and someday (hopefully a long time from now!) I would love to do this. As far as a boxspring, that depends entirely on what new mattress you buy. Some need a boxspring and some (like all foam mattresses without innersprings) need a solid or slatted foundation without springs in it. Many innerspring mattresses you could buy would likely do fine on the boxspring you already have but some depend more on a matching boxspring in their design than others. For me it would depend on which matress I bought, how much the boxspring cost, and what it's specific benefits were for that particular mattress. My tendency if I were to buy a new innerspring mattress would be to use the one you have if it was appropriate. (added later) All of this of course is assuming that your boxsprings after 10 years really are still fine. They may not be 3 years later. That decision though can come when you decide what is next. Phoenix PS: there is a product that can be purchased (don't have the link handy) that is made thicker where the dips are and thinner where they're not which in some cases can provide a "sort of" temporary fix. There are other products that can be put under the mattress to "shore up" the sagging parts. Neither of these take into account that besides the sagging that the foam itself is likely degraded so I would consider them at best to be temporary and partial "fixes" on the way to a better mattress. Found a few examples On top: http://www.the-pillow.com.au/resources/mattress_topper.php Underneath: http://www.asseenontvguys.com/mattress-medic.aspx Underneath: http://www.contourliving.com/p-201-mattress-wizard.aspx And I guess you could have it "fixed" as well at a place like this http://www.mattresswarranty.com/Services.html This message was modified Dec 3, 2010 by Phoenix
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