What Weather is Safe For A Bounce House?
Here at ACP Entertainment, we provide a variety of services and products for events ranging from a backyard party to large full-service corporate events. A staple of Summertime fun in our inventory is the bounce house. Sometimes called moonwalks or just the “bouncy thing,” most people have a fun childhood memory of soaring through the air to be greeted by a soft inflatable landing. We strive to not only provide these products but to make sure the safety of everybody involved is the top priority. The main issue embattling outdoor fun is the weather, so to make sure everybody has more fun, here are our guidelines.
Safety Is A Priority
Safety really is our number one goal when setting up any event at ACP. The main weather problems that we watch for before setting up a bounce house are rain and wind. While light sprinkling may be okay for an inflatable to run in, any substantial amount of rain will make the bouncer unsafe for any participant. When the inflatable is exposed to rainfall it will soak into the baffling (interior) of the unit and take many hours to dry out.
Due to these circumstances if rain occurs during the event all units will need to be shut down and covered until the rain passes. If rain occurs, or the event is canceled in anticipation of rain before any unit is set up, the event can be rescheduled within the next 90 days. At ACP, the job-site supervisor and managers are responsible for making the call of whether or not an inflatable should be setup and/or operated in preparation for inclement weather.
Wind is definitely harder than rain to predict before the day of the event. Generally, most of the inflatables ACP carries have maximum wind ratings of 15-25 mph. Once the wind speeds reaches the max for the specific unit, the inflatable must immediately be shut down until wind subsides.
Our Safety Measures
At ACP Entertainment we train every staff member on how to properly set up, run, and tear down all of our inflatable units. This includes knowing where a safe location for a setup is, how to properly anchor a unit, and knowing what weather conditions are safe to operate in.
When anchoring an inflatable ACP uses two methods, depending on the surface on which the unit is placed. Most outdoor events will have the inflatables be placed on grass, where three-foot long steel stakes are used on every corner of a bounce house. These stakes are driven in the ground a minimum of a foot and a half or more. When placed on a paved surface or indoors, units are anchored with sandbags. The number of sandbags used on an inflatable increases with the size of the inflatable and based on the manufacturers specifications. Inflatables can require anywhere from 360 pounds to 1500 pounds of weight (sand bags) per unit.
Our Proven Track Record
We’ve been supplying inflatables to create Memorable Events in West Michigan for the past decade with a safety-first record that we are proud of. The majority of weather-related accidents pertaining to bounce houses are the product of poor set-up procedures and a lack of supervision. At ACP Entertainment, our policies are put in place to create an environment in which fun can be had while staying safe.
If you are interested in renting one or multiple of our inflatable attractions, get in touch with us today and ask us how we put safety first!