DRYING WATER SLIDESYou will always need to make sure that your water slides (or any water unit) is thoroughly dry before putting it into storage. Even small amounts of water can lead to mildew odors and stains.So the party's over and it's time to pick up your water unit. Here are step by step directions to help you figure out what needs to get done from onsite location and finally into storage. Onsite: You'll need to detach the water from the unit and remove the misting system (if it is removable). Removing the misting helps prevent any parts from rubbing or puncturing the unit during the rolling process. It also helps the misting hose or bar from getting weak from being repeatedly folded, and eventually broken. Next, using the hose you'll need to rinse off any large amounts of grass, sand or mud from the unit. You'll never get it entirely off because the unit is surrounded by ground saturated with water, but get the majority of the debris. The next step requires that you open a zipper (but do not turn the blower off) so that you get a soft/mushy inflatable. Push down on the pool wall to drain it. By keeping the unit inflated during this process it helps prevent the water from creeping into seams. If your water slide has a liner, pull it out after it is emptied or emptying (pulling the liner out helps get the water out of the pool too). You can either ball it up and put it in your truck bed or trailer (or other transportation source) or after deflation and it's folded you can lay it down on the vinyl-to-be-rolled and roll it up with the slide. That being done, NOW you turn the blower off for deflation. Fold, Roll. Most (if not all) water slide owners will take their slides out on the next available/possible day. At this time you hose it off. (Wash if necessary because sometimes they get muddy.) Then dry it. You do not have to be diligent about every single water drop. I tell my helpers to "towel dry the puddles, bubbles and Velcro"...since the single water drops will dry over time. Now go in the unit through the access zipper to mop up any puddles inside the unit. Have someone watch over the inflatable and zipper entrance while you go into the unit for safety reasons. Some inflatable units have sealed seams and don't have any water or practically no water in the unit. But if you can, you need to be sure there isn't any water in the unit since it can lead to mold or mildew odors. As the water evaporates within the unit the humidity will rise, to help the air circulate it is often recommended that you leave the zipper open several inches to remove the humid air. There are a couple of more things that you'll need to do until you leave the unit to dry for the day. You'll need to flip the slide cover over on itself so any trapped water under the slide cover will dry out. You can typically flip it over one way for a few hours and when the attached Velcro and vinyl are toughly dry then it flip it over on itself the other way to dry. While the slide cover, Velcro and stitching are drying you also need to hose off the pool liner and allow to dry. When the unit is completely dry you'll need to put the vinyl pieces (slide cover and pool liner) back together, deflate, fold, and roll up to put in storage until the next rental. If you see any water coming from the unit during any of this process there is always the potential for mold/mildew to occur. It is highly suggested that you take the unit out again to complete the drying process. Another suggestion is if you have steps (the ladder) that trap water, remove the steps and roll them up, prop them up to drain and plan on reinstalling on the next rental date. (Don't forget to bring them along thou.) Did I miss a step in the drying process? Suggestions? Difficulties? Email webmaster@bounce-house-business.com Written by Sharon Patten. Member Name: ADB at the Moonwalkforum.com. DATE 05 - 01 - 08 |
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