Need ideas on how to find a slow leak in an air mattress. (Vanity)

Free Republic | 01/15/2011 | BuckeyeTexan

[BuckeyeTexan]

Please excuse the vanity, fellow FReepers. I need some ideas on how to find a very slow leak in a Sleep Number interlocking-chamber air mattress.

When the mattress is aired up all the way, it will fully deflate by morning with body weight on it. (So 8-9 hours?) With no body weight on it, it holds air for days.

With/without body weight on it, there is no audible hissing sound, no current of escaping air that can be felt by hand, and no obvious tears or pinholes. The seams appear to be intact. The air hoses aren't twisted or crimped and also don't have any obvious holes.

Possibly irrelevant details: mattress is six years old and is black/blue in color.

Does anyone have any ideas or tips/tricks on how to find the leak?

Thanks, Tex

[dragnet2]

Soap and water in a spray bottle...Look for bubbles.

[Jeff Winston]

Unfortunately, it sounds to me like your Number is 0.

[JRandomFreeper]

Soapy water, paint brush. Bubbles will form at the leak.

Get rid of the cat if you want to keep the air mattress. ;)

/johnny

[GeronL]

nope, never had one.... did have a waterbed once..... holes were easy to spot.

lol.

[Jeff Winston]

At least, if suggestion #2 doesn’t work.

But others here may be smarter than I am. :-)

[library user]

Have her over for a visit:

[Alex Murphy]

Unfortunately, it sounds to me like your Number is 0.

[Keith in Iowa]

Check all hose connections to the air pump. May have a lose one that actually being in bed makes it release air - otherwise, call Select Comfort Customer service - they’ll help you get it fixed or replaced under warranty.

[djf]

If you can’t get the soap and water to work, go to the supermarket and get some of that cling-wrap sandwich wrap stuff. It’s real stick, and you should be able to see if it bubbles up.

Or find somebody with a swimming pool!

[BuckeyeTexan]

It’s actually a Nautilus and they went out of business. I said Sleep Number so people would know what it is.

[Keith in Iowa]

Then it looks looks like the soapy water/paint brush trick may be in your future.

[Truth29]

Don't know if you want to try this with a sleep number bed, but you can add a small amount of water to the air as the mattress is being inflated and then look for damp spots. Alternatively, maybe you could add fluorescent dye marker to the mattress and look for the leak.

[No_Doll_i]

Hi Buckeye, I had the same problem, the soapy water/spray bottle will find it and superglue will fix it.

[I still care]

You live in TX - in FL we’ve thrown it into a pool and underwater you can find the bubbles.

[I still care]

I thought it was a simple air mattress. I’m unfamiliar with the sleep numbers, not sure you’d want to get them wet all over.