Frequently Asked Questions

• What is a bounce house?
• How to start an inflatable bounce house rental business?
• Where to buy bounce house, inflatable moonwalk?
• Is inflatable jumper rental business in demeaned and is there market for this business?
• What commercial bounce house manufacturer is the best?
• Do you offer bounce house financing?
• How to set up inflatable water slide?
• What kind of insurance is needed for a commercial bounce house rental company?
• How to start indoor bounce house business?
• How much does it cost to rent a bounce house?
• How much does it cost to purchase a commercial inflatable jumper?
• How to patch/repair an inflatable bouncer?
• How to clean commercial bounce house after use?
• How to set up a commercial bounce house?
• How to fold up a bounce house?
• How to fix the fan motor on an inflatable?
• Can you put a bounce house indoors?
• How tall is a 13 x 13 foot bounce house?
• What are typical bounce house insurance rates?

What is a bounce house?

Bounce houses, aka inflatable jumper, moonwalks, moon bouncers or space jumps, etc. are temporary inflatable portable structures or buildings and similar items, which are used for recreational purposes mainly for children.

How to start an inflatable bounce house rental business?

There are two commonly known types of inflatable businesses: inflatable rentals and indoor/outdoor playgrounds.

    A. To start a bounce house rental business you may need a registered business license; some states (Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, etc.) have certain requirements pertaining to fire redundancy, meeting NFPA standards, etc. Depending on your budget, you may start with one or more bounce houses, combos or inflatable slides, etc. We recommend starting the business with at least three pieces of bouncers. It will ensure proper positioning of your business and will increase the public awareness towards your business. You may choose to deliver the bounce houses to or collect from the customers, in that case you will need a transportation means, typically a van or a truck. Also, your money investment will be directed for purchasing gas and paying for labor. The main advantage of rental business versus the playground type of operations is that the rentals are easy to conduct and do not require significant efforts.

    B. For an indoor/outdoor playground you may also need a registered business license and the same requirement may be imposed by some states (Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, etc.). The main advantage of indoor inflatable playground is that it is possible to operate it all year long, since no weather condition will trigger an effect on the regular flow of the business. The greatest downside is that the playground business is associated with substantial overhead costs, i.e. paying facility rent, insurance, utilities, etc.

Where to buy bounce house, inflatable moonwalk?

For the past few years the main source of searching for moonwalks and bounce houses has been and still remains the Internet. Use different search engines, search for key words such as "bouncer", "bounce house", "moonwalk", "inflatable bouncer", "water slides" etc.

Is inflatable jumper rental business in demeaned and is there market for this business?

Since its inception in the 1960's, the inflatables industry has become a constantly growing business sector. Presently, it is hard to imagine any birthday party or community event without big jumper or slides. Primarily being used for commercial rental purposes, in recent years inflatable jumpers have increasingly been used by households in their backyards for arranging their leisure. After their thrilling experience with those colorful huge moonwalks, some of families end up owning their personal bounce houses. Although enjoying a great popularity of the population throughout the United States, the demand towards the inflatable structures fluctuates depending on the diverse climate pattern of the country. The hot weather of the southern states, such as Florida, Georgia, Texas, etc. allows enjoying inflatable jumpers outdoors throughout most of the year. As the industry evolved, an alternative type of indoor playgrounds emerged all across the country, making the exciting joy of riding huge bounce houses accessible both to kids and adults at any time for all kinds of occasions.

What commercial bounce house manufacturer is the best?

Whenever searching for a best commercial bounce house manufacturer, one needs to pay attention to the combination of quality/price, warranty coverage as well as other benefits offered by a company. Only being a jumper manufacturer, a company may have a flexibility to offer the best options covering all terms. Presently, the marked is flooded with numerous brand names, claiming they are of US origin. Most of the companies operating in the industry are distributors of inflatable products made in China. The number of domestic manufacturers is relatively small. While building your own business, you would want to bind yourself with an entrusted partner, who has been in the business for a long time and established itself as a trademark.

Do you offer bounce house financing?

The business of inflatables rentals has been thriving for the past decade in the United States. Some of the probable reasons are that it is relatively easy to start up and the initial investment pays itself in a remarkably short period of time. Speaking of initial investment, it has already been mentioned, that a start-up capital may account for around $ 5,000 on average, which nowadays is quite a challenge to fund. To make this venture even more appealing to the entrepreneurs, our company has elaborated a robust financing program and offers a sharp solution to the financing problem. Although the in-house financing option is not offered, we facilitate the process of getting financial assistance from a number of financing companies and institutions. Simply contact any of the companies mentioned below, refer to the partnership with us and your financing application will be reviewed and processed in a matter of hours.

How to set up inflatable water slide?

The following is a general, short description of the process. Reffer to the owner's manual for details.

1. When selecting a site, make sure it is level and large enough for the device and tethers. Also make sure there are enough vertical clearance (at least 25’) and that there are no power lines in the vicinity. The ideal site is a firm grassed area.
2. If possible, try to face the slide away from direct sun so that the sliding surface does not get too hot.
3. Place a ground tarp on the selected site.
4. Align the slide, bouncer or any other inflatable unit, and unroll it on the tarp.
5. Attach upper tie ropes.
6. Lightly stake the lower attachment points using steel stakes, min 5/8" dim x 18" long.
7. Attach the blowers to the ducts and secure with the belt attached to the air tube.
8. Connect blowers to power source, check that the inflatable slide has been properly unfolded and switch on the blowers.
9. Adjust the slide by grabbing hold of the walls and stabilize as necessary.
10. Make sure blowers are stable on the ground and that the air ducts are not kinked.
11. Adjust base supports if necessary and drive into ground fully.
12. Drive in the upper restraint anchors, attach the upper ties and tension evenly.
13. Look at slide from a slight distance to ensure it is sitting square and that the tethers are equally tensioned.
14. Climb the slide and check that the sliding mat is properly attached and generally inspect the slide to make sure it is serviceable.
15. Erect signs and establish a no-walk zone around the blowers and upper tethers.

What kind of insurance is needed for a commercial bounce house rental company?

Regardless of what type of business operation you conduct with inflatables, you would want to ensure that the insurance part is covered. It will add to the level of comfort you feel, when offering your services to your customers. Not to mention, that certain public use of commercial bouncers in parks, resort areas explicitly stipulate the availability of insurance coverage on all inflatable structures. For more information about the rules and regulations you may refer to your city hall. As it was mentioned, the insurance requirements may vary from state to state depending on the type and size of an inflatable bouncer, the coverage, etc. Getting insurance for you moonwalk rental business has to do with finding an agent, who will offer you the right service for a convenient price.

How to start indoor commercial bounce house business?

For an indoor/outdoor playground you may need a registered business some states (Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, etc.) have certain requirements pertaining to fire redundancy, meeting NFPA standards, etc. The main effort related to setting an indoor inflatable playground business is associated with finding a suitable indoor facility with proper dimension of both the perimeter and height. The main advantage of indoor playground is that it is possible to operate it all year long, since no weather condition will trigger an effect on the regular flow of the business. The greatest downside is that the playground business is associated with substantial overhead costs, i.e. paying facility rent, insurance, utilities, etc.

How much does it cost to rent a bounce house?

The rates of renting a bounce house fluctuate drastically depending on a complexity of the structure as well as the geographic location. The price range for regular 13x13 and 15x15 commercial bounce houses is $ 85 - $ 175. Jumper and slide combo units are typically rented within the price range of $ 150 - $ 350. The wet/dry slides, obstacle courses and interactive playgrounds can be rented staring from $ 300 - $ 900.

How much does it cost to purchase a commercial inflatable jumper?

Usually, inflatable structures fall under one of the following categories: Bounce Houses, Inflatable slides/ water slides, Inflatable combos, Obstacle courses and interactive playgrounds. Each category has it's own price range as described below:

• Bounce Houses: $ 1,000 - $ 2,000
• Inflatable slides: $ 2,000 - $ 6,500
• Water slides: $ 2,000 - $ 6,500
• Inflatable combos: $ 1,500 - $ 4,500
• Obstacle courses: $ 2,500 - $ 9,000
• Interactive playgrounds: $ 2,500 - $ 9,000

How to patch/repair an inflatable bouncer?

To repair holes and tears up to 12", use "Single Patch Method", as follows:

1. Cut an oval or round shape vinyl patch, approximately 2” larger than the cut;
2. Clean around the torn area;
3. Apply glue on the patch and around the torn area;
4. Let it dry for 3 minutes;
5. Place the patch covering the damaged area and press with your palm for 1 minute. In approximately 15 minutes, the glue should dry and the moonwalk will be ready to be inflated.

For larger tears, you can use the "Double Patch Method", as follows:

1. Put a patch inside the torn area by applying glue and pressing to the inside surface of the torn area;
2. After this is done, apply another patch to the outside surface of the torn area following the above-mentioned steps.

How to clean commercial bounce house after use?

The bounce house can be easily cleaned with a cloth or light brush. Use a vinyl cleaner and rinse thoroughly to remove detergent before storing. Do not pack the bounce house away when wet. If this is unavoidable, lay the moon bounce out to dry at the earliest opportunity. The unit should be inspected regularly for damage. If there is evidence of tearing at the anchor points, the unit should not be used until repairs have been made.

How to set up a commercial bounce house?

This is greatly depends on type of bouncer and one needs to refer to the owner's manual for a complete procedure. The following is a short description of the process that is common to almost any commercial bounce house setup procedure. The bouncer should be set up directly on grass, soil or concrete surface. Do not stake down the unit until it is inflated. Attach the inflation tube around the exhaust opening of the motor blower by using the belt attached to the inflation tube. Cinch the belt tightly, being sure it has gripped the blower behind the raised portion of the exhaust, to assure the inflation tube is correctly and solidly attached. Cinch the unused air tube tightly to prevent air from escaping the jumper. Inflate the bounce house, making sure that all deflation vents are closed. The bouncer can be staked down after inflation. The stakes should be driven into firm ground. A grassed area will be sufficiently firm, but loose tilled soil will not be acceptable. Maximum wind speed for safe operation is 30 km/hr (20 mph).

How to fold up a bounce house?

Once the bounce house is deflated, one needs to ensure that as much air is drained from the bouncer as possible. Then spread the bounce house firmly on the grass, soil, or a concrete surface. Holding two adjacent corners of one of the sides of the inflatable, pull them uniformly towards the opposite side of the structure until you pass two-thirds of the surface of the bouncer. Make sure that you perform the operation with one of the sides adjacent to the zipper for faster deflation. Lay the inflatable jumper steel and do the same operation with the other side of the unit. After you do that, try to once again remove the remainders from the air from the bounce house. Start rolling the folded bounce house from the side opposite to the zipper for faster deflation, trying to keep it as tight as possible. Once you finish rolling, cinch the straps around the rolled bouncer.

Video Demonstration: How To Roll Commercial Bounce House.

How to fix the fan motor on an inflatable?

TROUBLESHOOTING CHART

Symptom: Blower does not run
Possible Cause: Bad power supply Corrective Action: Check cord and power outlet; Check if circuit breaker has tripped.

Symptom: Fan runs slow

Possible Cause: Broken/faulty power cord
Corrective Action: Replace cord
Possible Cause: Defective motor/switch
Corrective Action: Replace motor or switch
Possible Cause: Power cord too small
Corrective Action: Clean inlets

Symptom: Poor air flow
Possible Cause: Restriction on air inlets
Corrective Action: Clean inlets

Symptom: Fan blows circuit breaker
Possible Cause: Extension cord too long
Corrective Action: Max. Length of cord is 100 ft; move closer to power outlet

Symptom: Scraping noise in a blower
Possible Cause: Blowers require dedicated 20-amp circuit
Corrective Action: Find cleaner circuit or a different higher rated breaker
Possible Cause: Blower wheel out of balance
Corrective Action: Replace blower wheel

Can you put a bounce house indoors?

Yes. One may want to make sure the availability of enough space for setting up a bounce house and accessing the structure. Also, one needs to ensure the source of electricity to turn the blower on. Please keep in mind, that safety rules need to be followed at all times.

How tall is a 13x13 foot bounce house?

Normally the 13x13 commercial grade bouncer will have a hight of 15 feet. A standard deviation of 2 feet may be possible.

What are typical bounce house insurance rates?

See the list of insurance companies enclosed.