Hospital Bed Troubleshooting Guide

By Maurice

If your home hospital bed has suddenly stopped working, there are at least some steps you can take yourself to see if you can resolve the problem. Other problems might well require that you call in the cavalry and let the pros repair your bed.

Hospital Bed Troubleshooting – Common Problems

1If your bed is electric or semi-electric and not working, your first step should be to check the electrical plug. Make sure that it is securely in its socket. You may wish to remove it entirely and replace it in the socket if that solves the problem, lucky you. By the way, this is as good a place as any to remind you that you should never operate your home hospital bed on any kind of power strip or extension cord. It should be plugged directly into its own grounded outlet.
2If your bed’s engine is making a little more noise than usual, check the owner’s manual and apply lubrication as directed.
3Check to see if anything is interfering with the bed’s movement. Are linens tangled around a bedrail? Are pillows impeding the lift functions? If anything appears to be in the way, remove it and see if the bed is working now.
4If you can’t get a locking pin out of a bedrail, add just a drop of lubrication to the pin. That should allow you to remove it and adjust the bed rails.
5If your bed doesn’t move, try pressing the button to move in the opposite direction – sometimes, it’s just gone as far as it can go in the first direction.
6If your controls are locked on some beds, you can push down the zero code until it reads 00:0. Release the home button, and your remote is unlocked.
7If your bed isn’t moving right, move it away from the wall and make sure nothing is blocking it. Try changing the outlet and checking your fuse or circuit breaker box as well.
8If you’re having trouble raising or lowering the rails, you can raise the full-length rail by grasping it at the top and lifting it until you hear the locking mechanism snap into place. This must be done at both the head and foot end of the bed rail. To lower it, hold the bed rail, pull out the locking plunger and slowly lower the rail. If this doesn’t work, there may be something serious wrong with the rail.

Hospital Bed Repair Services

Many repair services will come to service your electric, semi-electric, and manual hospital beds. Their services are invaluable when you’re faced with something that doesn’t work that you don’t know how to fix. Some of these are independent third-party repair companies. Or you can call the dealer who sold you the bed, or the manufacturer may even have repair services. The following are situations where you should probably call in the pros and not try to solve the problem yourself.

If you smell something that smells like a burning or scorched fabric in the bed, unplug the bed and call your service company right away. Keep a close eye on the bed so that it doesn’t catch on fire when you aren’t aware. Also, don’t leave your patient in the bed at this point.

The motor grinds, but the bed won’t move. You have a problem with the lift mechanism, which is engineering better handled by professionals. If the bed is in a position where your patient is comfortable, you can leave them there, but don’t leave the patient in that position if the patient is uncomfortable.

If your bed’s motor is crying out in pain, it’s time to call for service. Loud squealing, squeaking, and screeching noises are not standard and signify that you need repairs.

If your bed won’t move and you’ve already checked for blocks, it’s probably time to get a professional to find out what is wrong with the engine or life mechanism.

Where to Find Hospital Bed Repair Near Me

If you need a professional repair for your home hospital bed, one of the challenges is finding a home hospital bed repair service.

One place to begin your search is your insurance company. They may be able to provide you with some names or may even be contracted with some service companies.

Another option is to check with the dealer where you bought the bed. If they don’t do repairs themselves, they should be able to recommend some services to you. You can also call the manufacturer of your unit, as they may have a recommendation. This is especially important if your bed is still under warranty.

You can, as we all do for everything now, research home hospital bed repair online. Running that search today revealed dozens of services repairing home hospital beds specifically or repairing durable medical equipment. Durable medical equipment is what Medicare will pay for, and it includes home hospital beds if your doctor prescribes them.

In addition to the manufacturer’s warranty on your home hospital bed, the seller may have added their own extended warranty either as part of the sale or for an extra purchase price.

Wrapping Up

Your home hospital bed is a vital piece of equipment for your loved one’s comfort and healing. You should know what you can fix quickly and what needs to be repaired by a professional. For the latter case, you will want to know what your warranty covers and whether it is still in force. Your seller may have offered an extended warranty, or your original warranty may still be in force. In either case, check to see if there is a specific service you have to use. If you don’t have a warranty, you should have a repair service in your contacts so that you can get your patient back to comfort as soon as possible.