New York Renovator

This is a continuing saga… you can read my first review of our TempurPedic mattress and foundation set here, and then the problem with the horribly squeaky foundation here, and then the story about getting the replacement here.

Whew! This entire story is almost a year old and as drawn out as those weight loss supplement reviews! OK… To backtrack: In October 2008, we paid over $1000 for a TempurPedic queen-size mattress and foundation set, to help my back (herniated disks). The mattress has been WONDERFUL for my back. But in January 2009, the foundation started to squeak. REALLY LOUDLY. I mean, fingernails on chalkboard kind of noise here. I procrastinated for a few months, but finally called the furniture store and got a replacement foundation set in April 2009. In May– two weeks later- the squeaking started up AGAIN! Since writing about this issue on this blog, I’ve received dozens of similar complaints by other TempurPedic customers. The mattress is really great, but the foundation STINKS.

So today, after procrastinating a few weeks, I called the corporate office of TempurPedic in Lexington, Kentucky. The number is 800-821-6621. The lady I spoke with was exceptionally courteous and helpful. After explaining my situation, she said that TempurPedic has recently come out with a new and improved foundation set design, and they will be happy to replace my foundation, free of charge, according to my warranty terms. I had to write a letter including my name, address, phone number, and state the reason for my claim. I also had to make a copy of my sales receipt, and send it to the Lexington office. From there, it may take 2-4 weeks to process the warranty… but they will call me when they have processed it and within 24-48 hours after that, I should be getting my new foundation set, free of charge.

This was good news! I quickly typed up the letter to go out into today’s mail. I will post an update here when I get one.

Doing some research on the web, I see that a lot of people have problems with the squeaky foundation set. Many of them have requested exchanges for new ones, only to experience (as I did) that the noise returns within a few weeks. I am convinced that this issue is caused by a defect in the design of the foundation. Problem is, I’m stuck with using the TempurPedic foundation– if I build my own flat bed (which I have been very tempted to do), then I void my warranty on the mattress. I don’t want to do that. I’m really hoping that this “new and improved” foundation is the solution for our woes.

So that’s my update. I hope this is helpful to you! I’ll have more news when I get it.

In October, my darling husband purchased a Tempurpedic mattress set to help alleviate my back pain. I did an initial review (you can read that here), and I wrote an update after a few weeks when the split box springs, or “foundation set” started to squeak like all get-out (you can read that here). (Tempurpedic calls the box spring set a “foundation set” since there are no springs in the “box springs” set, btw.)

I am inspired to write another quick update after reading a comment on my blog:

I was just searching for information about noisy tempurpedic box springs when I found your review. Ours is a king size mattress with a split box spring that groans every time you get on it!
I would like to see what your results are with customer service…

After reading this comment, searching around for others’ experiences, and after my own experiences, I have determined that there is a defect with the split foundation set for the tempurpedic mattress…

Last month, I finally called the furniture store where we purchased our mattress set. I complained about the horrid noises the box springs were making. A customer service guy (sporting what looked to be some very nice north face walking shoes, btw) was sent out to inspect our foundation set and take photos. I was with the representative while he inspected our foundation set. Since the Tempurpedic mattress and  foundation set are brand-new (only a few months old), and since the squeaky noises are all around both split foundation boxes, it was determined by the company that the foundation set was defective. We received our two new split foundation set two weeks later, and they were installed by the furniture company again. I have no complaints with the furniture company (a local business, Joe Tehan’s, out of Rome, NY). They were professional and courteous.

It was GREAT sleeping on a quiet bed once again. But, two weeks later…. the squeaking has begun again. I CAN’T BELIEVE IT! We paid over $1,300 for this mattress set (and that was a discount) and while I LOVE the tempurpedic mattress, I HATE the foundation set. It’s awful. I am going to have to call the furniture company again and have them re-inspect the foundation set.

Apparently, the foundation set is constructed with cheapo plastic strips all around the top perimeter. These strips are adhered (I don’t know if it’s stapled or glued) to a wooden rib construction along the sides. The plastic strips bend and warp with any movement, rubbing against the wooden ribs and causing that horrid squeaking sound. I have a Queen-size split foundation set, my commenter here who I quoted above has a King-size split foundation set. I have no idea if this is a foundation set defect or a split foundation set defect. But I would think that for $1,300, I could get a quality split foundation set.

Anyway, that’s my update. I have a 10-year warranty on our mattress set, so if this has to go on for 10 years, then so be it. I just hate waking up to the horrid squeak everytime one of us rolls a little on the bed, or gets out of bed. Some people have ditched their foundation set and use a flat board, which is a great idea. But we paid for a foundation set, so unless we get our money back, that’s what I’m going with…