How do you store inflatables for the winter?
Winter is coming, and your rental season is ending. You know that just rolling up your expensive bounce house and tossing it in the garage can lead to permanent, costly damage.
To store inflatables for winter, you must clean them thoroughly, dry them completely until they are "bone dry," and store them loosely rolled in a dry, rodent-free area that stays above freezing temperatures to prevent the vinyl from cracking.
As a person who oversees the manufacturing of these units at Inflatplay, I can tell you that winter storage is the most critical maintenance period for an inflatable. How you put your equipment away for the off-season will directly determine its condition and lifespan when you pull it out again in the spring. A few extra hours of prep now can save you thousands of dollars in repairs or replacements later. Let’s walk through the essential steps.
How do you dry out a bounce house?
Your last rental of the season had morning dew, or a surprise shower. You know that storing a damp bounce house is a recipe for disaster. What’s the foolproof way to get it completely dry?
To dry a bounce house, inflate it on a sunny day. Use towels to wipe down all surfaces. For water trapped inside, open all zippers, tip the unit to drain it, and let the blower run for several hours to circulate air.
Getting your inflatable "bone dry" is the single most important step before storage. Any moisture left behind will turn into mold and mildew over the winter. Mold not only causes ugly, permanent stains, but it also eats away at the PVC material and the stitching, destroying the unit from the inside out.
The Professional Drying Method
Follow these steps for a perfectly dry inflatable:
- Clean First1: Before you dry, do a final cleaning. Use a mild soap or a designated vinyl cleaner to remove all dirt, grass, and sticky residue. Dirt holds moisture.
- Surface Dry: Inflate the unit. Use towels to wipe down all the visible surfaces, both inside and out. Don’t forget the corners and seams.
- Internal Drain: Water gets inside the inflatable through the seams. Unzip the deflation zippers. If you can, have a helper assist you in lifting and tilting the bouncer to let any trapped water pour out of the zippers.
- Air Out2: Leave the bouncer inflated with the blower running for a few hours. This pushes the damp air out through the stitch holes. On a dry, breezy day, this works wonders.
Feel the inside and outside. If it feels even slightly damp or cool to the touch, it needs more time.
How cold is too cold for inflatables?
You live in a place like Canada where winters are harsh. You worry that the freezing temperatures in your garage could make the vinyl brittle and cause it to crack when it’s folded up.
You should not operate an inflatable below 40°F (4°C). For storage, you must keep it in a location that stays above freezing (32°F or 0°C). Extreme cold makes the PVC material brittle and can cause it to crack along folds.
This is a technical point that every cold-climate operator needs to understand. As a manufacturer, we select high-grade PVC for our inflatables. This material contains plasticizers, which are special additives that make the vinyl soft and flexible.
How Cold Affects PVC Vinyl
When the temperature drops close to freezing, these plasticizers become less effective.
- Becomes Stiff: The PVC material1 loses its flexibility and becomes stiff. If you try to unroll or inflate a frozen bounce house, the material won’t want to bend.
- Prone to Cracking: Forcing it to bend by unrolling it can cause the vinyl to develop cracks, especially along the creases where it was folded. This damage is permanent and very difficult to repair properly.
- Storage Location: This is why your storage location is so important. An unheated outdoor shed or garage that drops well below freezing is a bad place to store your units. A climate-controlled storage2 unit, a heated garage, or a dry basement are much safer options for protecting your investment through the cold winter months.
Why is my bounce house deflating?
You’ve pulled out your bouncer for the first time, and it looks a little soft. Your first thought is a major, expensive hole. How do you figure out what’s really going on?
A bounce house deflating is rarely a major hole. First, check that the blower tube is tied tightly and the deflation zippers are fully closed. Commercial inflatables are designed to constantly leak air through stitch holes, so some softness is normal.
A "breathing" inflatable is a healthy inflatable. To stay inflated, the blower has to run continuously to replace the air that is always escaping through thousands of stitch holes in the seams. This constant airflow design is what prevents it from popping like a balloon.
The Deflating Checklist
Here’s what to check before you panic:
- The Blower Tube1: Is the long tube from the bouncer securely tied around the mouth of the blower? If this connection is loose, a lot of air will escape right there.
- The Zippers2: This is the most common reason for a soft bouncer. Walk around the unit and check that every single deflation zipper is fully zipped up and the velcro cover is pressed down firmly.
- The Blower: Is the blower running at full power? Is the air intake on the side of the blower blocked by a tarp, leaves, or a wall? The blower needs to be able to suck in air freely.
- A Real Hole: If you’ve checked everything else, you might have a small hole or a seam tear. You can often find these by listening for hissing or by spraying soapy water on a suspected area and looking for bubbles. Small holes are easy to fix with a vinyl patch kit.
How many years do inflatables last?
You are investing thousands of dollars into this equipment. Is it a short-term asset that you’ll replace in two years, or can it be a long-term profit generator for your business?
A high-quality commercial inflatable, properly maintained, will last for 5 to 7 years of regular rental use. Many operators get more than 10 years from their units by being very careful with cleaning, storage, and repairs.
The lifespan of an inflatable comes down to two simple things: the quality of its construction and the quality of your care. As the producer, I am responsible for the first part. As the owner, you are responsible for the second.
Construction vs. Maintenance
- What We Do (Construction): We use heavy, lead-free 18oz PVC vinyl1, not the thin nylon used for cheap residential bouncers. We reinforce all the high-stress areas like bounce surfaces and entrances with double, triple, and even quadruple stitching. This builds a durable foundation.
- What You Do (Maintenance): Your habits determine if the bouncer reaches its full potential. The single biggest factor is your storage routine2. Storing an inflatable clean and completely dry is the number one thing you can do to make it last. Consistently using a tarp, enforcing user rules (no shoes!), and patching small holes immediately will also add years to its life. Dragging it on concrete or storing it wet will shorten its life dramatically.
Conclusion
To store your inflatables for winter, clean them, dry them completely, and keep them in a place that is dry and above freezing. Proper care protects your long-term investment.
