What to check for if your hired inflatable loses pressure
Has your bouncy castle ever lost pressure during an event? Here's what you need to know and check.
There are numerous reasons why this may happen and some are very easy to rectify without any repairs or equipment changes. Don’t worry, most issues are easy to fix with a little attention and instruction.
When hiring an inflatable such as a bouncy castle or inflatable slide, reputable companies will set up the equipment at the start of your event and provide you, the customer, with a list of safety instructions. Here at SJ's Leisure, we provide safety instructions in two ways - we send them out by email in the lead up to events, typically 3-4 days before a hire takes place so that they are fresh in our customers' minds and also easily accessible in their email folder. We also verbally discuss key safety points once we have set up equipment and are ready to leave.
Scenario: What to do if the inflatable loses pressure
Imagine a bouncy castle at a birthday party starts to deflate. Don’t panic — follow these simple steps to get things back on track.
Step 1: Evacuate the inflatable
The first thing you should do is to ensure that all users safely vacate the bouncy castle whilst it begins to deflate. Bouncy castles are manufactured in a special way to ensure that they don't collapse suddenly. They will slowly deflate to the floor whilst losing pressure. This process ensures enough time for users to exit the equipment safely.
Step 2: Check for any visible holes, splits or tears
Once all users have left the unit, first, check that there are no obvious holes, splits or tears in the inflatable, not only in the bouncing area but on the side and rear walls. Bouncy castles and inflatables are made from hard wearing material so it's very uncommon for rips or tears to suddenly appear. Occasionally a split may appear on a seam and the unit will split down the seam.
Step 3: Check the fan and tube
If all looks good, and there are no rips, splits or tears on the unit - Next, focus on the fan. Check the fan and its connections for any visible damage, and ensure that it is running smoothly without any obstructions. Does it still have power running to it? Is the fan switched on and running, can you hear the motor? Does it sound the same as when it was delivered - not strangely loud or clunky? Assuming all this is okay, next, check to see that the inlet guard is not blocked by any object. This can be a common occurrence during events. The inlet guard drags air from the outside into the fan to inflate the unit. If the guard has been blocked by freshly cut or overgrown grass, balloons, soft play pieces, footballs, or similar debris, this can cause the inflatable to lose pressure and, in extreme circumstances, may lead to fan failure.
The above photos show the two typical fans that we use here at SJ's Leisure. The inlet guards have been circled in red. These holes should never be blocked by any object during an event.
Also check that the tube which connects the fan to the inflatable is straight and not 'kinked'.
Step 4: Contact us if the problem persists
The above information will generally help customers rectify any issues in 99.9% of circumstances. If you’re unsure or the issue persists, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’re here to help and will resolve any problems as quickly as possible! Please contact us immediately on 01744 602716 / 07747735777 or email us using info@sjleisure.co.uk and our team will be out to you as soon as possible to diagnose and remedy any issues that have occurred.
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