Problem Solver: Mattress Replaced

By Dianne Derby
Anchor
Published: December 16, 2008

“It has a dip in it on both sides and my side is worse,“ said Heather Alexander.

Alexander says her new $600 mattress has given her more nightmares than sweet dreams.
“The upper part of your back is fine but the lower part on your bottom is like sunk into a hole,“ she said.

She says in less than a year the mattress began to sag and she wants the company she bought it from, Parkers Home Furnishings in Greenwood, to be accountable.

“At first (the Parkers Employee) told us that maybe our bed rails were uneven that we had the bottom of the footboard up too high or the headboard up too high so we come home and check that out,“ said Alexander. “My husband put a level on it to make sure it was level and it was.“

When News Channel 7’s Dianne Derby asked Alexander why she didn’t think the sagging was her fault Alexander replied, “Well, we’ve only had it 9 months.“

Alexander says she and her husband are so sick of their mattress that every night for the last three months they’ve gone across the hall to their son’s room where they sleep underneath him on the bunk bed.
“I’m about sick of sleeping in there and I’ve just had to get over it because we can’t sleep in here,“ she said.

Alexander says Parkers told her the body impressions didn’t qualify for a claim under her warranty.

“It’s got to be at least 2 inches in the dip and it can’t be where one of the little staples are so he measures it and gets like an inch and 3/4 so we measure it and get 2 inches,“ said Alexander. “So then we called you.“

The owner of the company Myles Parker declined to speak on camera but says he decided to give them a new mattress because he stands by his products and wanted them to be happy.
“I’m very glad because I just didn’t know what we were going to do,“ said Alexander.“We had tried to get help and they just didn’t seem like they were going to help us until we called you all.“

Now Heather and her husband finally will be able to get a good night’s sleep.

Everyone wants their mattresses to last. So 7 On Your Side asked Mr. Parker for some tips. He advises:
—Turn your mattress once a month.
—Make sure your mattress is well supported. He says you should check your warranty for requirements.
—Expect some body impressions. Mr. Parker says anything less than two inches deep isn’t covered under most mattress warranties.