A bounce house can be tons of fun for the entire family. However, do you know how to set up your bounce house?
A lot of people choose to avoid getting a bounce house since they believe that the setup and take-down process can be a major hassle.
Well, that is not the case at all. The truth is that you can quickly do the setup and take-down process if you just follow the right steps.
On almost every occasion, you can easily set up a bounce house in less than 30 minutes. The most difficult part of the process is finding the right spot to lay down the bounce house.
Depending on the size of your inflatable structure, taking it down can also take a bit of time. However, you can take down a bounce house in under 45 minutes. This includes cleaning and drying.
If it is your first time setting up or taking down a bounce house, you should expect it to take more time than usual.
However, you can do it efficiently and quickly if you follow the steps mentioned below.
Choose Where to Place the Bounce House
The location where you place the bounce house is important. The reason for this is safety. To keep the bounce house in place, you need to anchor it with stakes.
Because of this, your top options are areas with soil grounds, such as your lawn.
After you find the right spot for your bounce house, the next thing you need to do is to clean the area first.
Before you set up your bounce house, make sure you remove all sharp objects and stones on the land. Next, cover the ground using a huge tarp.
The purpose of the tarp is to ensure dirt will not get inside the bounce house.
It is a wise move to place a tarp under the bounce house. However, if your lawn is full of soft grass, you might not need the tarp anymore.
Unfold the Bounce House
If you are using a new bounce house, chances are the inflatable structure is still folded. Because of this, you will need to unfold them first.
Roll out and unpack the bounce house in the location where you want to set it up. You don’t have to do this step perfectly.
Simply roll out the folded bounce house. You will still have to adjust it as you inflate it.
Set Up Your Bounce House with a Blower
For those who don’t know, almost every bounce house comes with a blower that is specifically made for that bounce house.
If you’re planning to purchase a blower for the bounce house, you’ve got to ensure you know what your bounce house is rated for. For most residential bounce houses, a 1200-watt inflatable bounce house blower will work.
After getting the blower, make sure you connect it to the bounce house. However, you shouldn’t turn it on yet. You still have to properly position the blower. Ensure that it is not sitting up against the walls of the bounce house.
The blower will pump the bounce house with air. To do this, it will need electricity to run. You can use cords to connect the blower to the power supply.
However, if you’re placing the bounce house in an area without electricity, you can use a generator to power up the blower.
Connect Inlets and Close Outlets
The next step to set up your bounce house is to connect the blower to the inlet of your bounce house. Make sure you connect it properly to guarantee no air will leak out of the structure.
Before turning on the blower, check every outlet of the bounce house and close all of them. If you notice air coming out of these outlets, don’t worry. It is normal.
A bounce house has to be blown up by fans constantly. That is why air needs to get in and get out.
Inflate the Bounce House
Once you are ready to set up your bounce house, time to turn on the blower and inflate your bouncy structure. This is the most exciting step of the process.
If it is your first time inflating a bounce house, you might probably be wondering how long it would take. Normally, most bounce houses will take less than 5 minutes to fully inflate.
If you want to accelerate the process, make sure you untangle the parts piled together.
Anchor the Bounce House
To guarantee the safety of your kids in the bounce house, you have to ensure that the inflatable structure is properly attached to the ground.
To do this, you can use ground stakes to anchor the inflatable structure. This is particularly useful since your bounce house can be blown away by a strong wind.
You can use a hammer to nail down the stakes deeply into the ground.
Check the Bounce House Before Using It
If you think that you have properly set up your bounce house after anchoring it to the ground, you are very wrong.
Just because you’re done nailing the stakes does not mean the bounce house is safe. You still have to double-check it.
It is always a wise move to recheck what you’ve done. If something is not done properly, kids can get injured while playing inside the bounce house.
Always prioritize safety when it comes to inflatable structures. Once you guarantee that the bounce house is safe, you and your kids can now jump inside it and have fun.
How Long Does It Take to Inflate a Bounce House?
For an average residential 12-foot bounce house, the inflate time will be around 3 minutes or less. This is particularly true if you use a proper blower rated for the bounce house.
Of course, the inflate time will greatly increase for bigger bounce houses. This is particularly true if the inflatable structures also have inflatable features, such as a slide.
If your bounce house has a tear or rip, it will affect the inflate times of the inflatable structure.
If you notice that the inflate time is taking longer than usual, there is a chance that your bounce house has a leak. Perhaps you did not properly close all the outlets.
If you do find a leak in your bounce house, don’t worry. There are a lot of tips online on how to patch and fix a bounce house.
How Long Does It Take to Set Up the Bounce House?
If it is your first time setting up a bounce house, it will typically take longer than usual. According to reports, homeowners take around 45 minutes to finish the entire process.
The most difficult part of the process is choosing the right location and laying out the bounce house. However, if you are used to setting up the inflatable structure, you can do it in less than 15 minutes.
Depending on the size of the inflatable, you can set up your bounce house in around 10 to 20 minutes. Double-checking, anchoring, inflating, connecting the blower, and layout are all part of the process included in the set-up time.
However, there are things you can do to lower the set-up time of your bounce house. There are a lot of guides online that can give you tips to make your life a lot easier.
How to Take Down a Bounce House
Since you know how to set up your bounce house, you also need to know how to take it down. Compared to setting it up, the process of taking down a bounce house is quite easy.
Just like setting up a bounce house, it will take you around 30 minutes or less to take it down. Here are several steps you should follow:
- Clean the bounce house
- Dry it out completely
- Turn off the blower
- Open outlets and inlets
- Get rid of anchors
- Completely deflate the inflatable structure
- Prepare the storage area
- Pack away accessories
- Pack away the bounce house
As you can see, the process of taking down a bounce house is almost similar to setting it up. You are simply reversing the process.
Keep in mind that the process of setting up or taking down a bounce house will also depend on the type of inflatable structure you have.
Conclusion
As you can see, it’s quite easy to set up and take down a bounce house. It might feel tedious at first. However, once you memorize the steps, you can easily do it in the future.
One thing to keep in mind is that if you’re renting a bounce house, a rental company should offer to do the job. It’s part of their service. They should not charge an extra fee for this.
If the rental company refuses to help with the process of setting up and taking down your inflatable structure, you might need to hire another one.
A reliable rental company should also help in cleaning up the area after taking down the bounce house.