7 On Your Side gets woman refund after finding mold on newly bought mattress

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Memory foam mattresses have gained huge popularity for the way they mold to a person's body. A San Mateo woman enjoyed hers until mold took on a new meaning.

It was a problem that grew silently and invisibly until the day she tried to set the mattress on a different foundation. She discovered something growing underneath.

Stacie Nevares enjoyed the cushiony feel of her memory foam bed.

"It was comfortable. It really was. It wouldn't dent in," Nevares said,

It wasn't until she moved the mattress that she realized something was living underneath.

"All of sudden I see a big black spot and I was like, oh my god," she said.

She showed photos of black mold growing in an odd pattern on the underside of the bed.

"On the top of the mattress there's no sign of mold, but the bottom," she said.

She called TempurPedic. The company said mold was not covered under her warranty, since it's caused by exposure to moisture.

"And I'm thinking to myself I don't live in a climate where mold is. Plus, we haven't had any rain lately," she said.

An online search turned up similar reports and videos of mold on Tempurpedic mattresses.

"They said they'd do a one-time courtesy," she said.

Tempurpedic offered to give Nevares a one-time credit towards a new bed, but a similar bed would now cost more.

"To top it off they wanted me to spend $500, but they wanted me to spend $250 for the foundation," she said.

The company said she should use a TempurPedic foundation which would prevent moisture buildup that can cause mold. Stacie says she didn't want to chance it.

"If I did have mold again then I would have spent another $500 to $1,000," she said.

She contacted 7 On Your Side. We contacted TempurPedic. The company said mold grew on Neveres' bed because she had set it on plywood, saying, "Unfortunately, plywood tends to absorb moisture, which can create an environment that can allow for mold growth."

However, instead of a credit, TempurPedic did agree to refund the price of her bed, $1,399, telling us, "Customer service is our number one priority and we always work hard to make sure our customers are happy with our products."

"I'm glad it's over, but I think the biggest thing is that people check their mattresses," Neveres said.

TempurPedic tells us customers should not place a mattress on a solid surface. It's best to use a tempuePedic foundation to avoid moisture buildup and possible mold.