Inspections
We all do it on one occasion or another. We sit there, staring at something and then say to ourselves, “I never noticed that before”. Something in your house, on your car, in the yard or wherever. It’s not what you want to tell yourself when setting up a unit at a customer’s location. These are NOT set-up instructions.

Introduction
Inspections of your units are critical to the safe operation of your inflatable and should beconducted each and every time you set up a unit for customer use. A basic inspection atthis point can prevent a possible injury or upset customer due to equipment failure. A few guidelines for inspections are as follows. We label them as a primary and advancedinspection.

If you do not have equipment logs, we suggest using one for a variety of reasons. They allow you to track cleaning and repairs which may help for resale, allows your insurance company or state inspection agency to check for consistency in your operation and shows you to take your business seriously. It may help in the unfortunate situation of litigation should you be taken to court for negligence, equipment failure etc.

Primary inspection
The primary inspection should be conducted prior to each use. It’s a good idea to conduct one when picking up your unit and/or cleaning it after each use as well. This gives you the chance to check for damage that may have occurred during its use.Checking before you allow its use serves a dual purpose its well, as it allows you to check for damage that may have occurred during transport and storage. For your primary inspection start when you unroll your unit and check the bottom for large rips, holes; or foreign objects such as twigs or stones and other material that may become lodged in the vinyl and pose a bigger threat later on. Make sure each another point is snug. check again for frayed straps, missing D rings or O rings if equipped and make sure it is securely attached to the unit. Ensure the blower tubes are in good repair as well. with all portion of the retaining strap functioning as they should be. Buckles and clinch straps will occasionally fail from time to time. Next check all surfaces of the mattress for debris, ribs, holes and seams that may be stressed and pay close attention to the area where the support columns join the mattress and roof, as well as the safety ramp entrance. Broken threads or separating seams may indicate a larger problem inside the unit itself and indicate eventual ‘failure. The netting and wall area should all be intact along with any roof cover If your unit is nipped with either removable or permanent roofs. Fully inflate the unit and test it to acknowledge it is working correctly and holding air. Listen for abnormally loud rushes of air or hissing which may indicate a hole, tear or seam failure. That’s it or a primary inspection. It’s a good Idea to log each inspection on an equipment log for that particular unit. Logs are available for download on the moonwalk forum site.

Advanced/Thorough Inspection
Now the next inspections is an advanced or thorough inspection which u recommend be conducted at least once a month or more if a unit is heavily used through-out the week For indoor centers It’s a good idea to conduct an advanced or through Inspection each week. Again, Key is documented; make sure you log your c caning and inspections, The first step is unrolling the unit and examining the bottom very closely for any and all small holes, tears or foreign matter lodged In the vinyl. If its small enough for you to at repair, do so, if not. contact a qualified repair facility to have It done. Check each and every seam on the bottom and slides of the mattress. Any Broken or stressed treads. any separation of the seams should be noted and repaired by a qualified company before use, Check each anchor point thoroughly. Make sure the straps or webbing are fully intact and do not show any signs thread breaks, fraying missing or damaged D rings or O rings If equipped, and most importantly what the area to which they attach to the inflatable is secure and snug without any damage at all Anchor the unit accordingly and then Inflate the unit. Deflate the unit and pull the edges out so the roof lays flat on top of the unit. Inspect every inch, and pay careful attention to where the roof meets the support columns and cross tubes. Make sure the emergency exits function and the Velcro are in good repair Inflate the unit and check all of the sides. Make sure that all of the netting is intact and is properly secured to the walls on all 4 sides. Over and over again you’ll hear us stress the point of checking the seams and threads. Pull on the netting in each direction to make sure it does not pull away from the walls. Check the walls where they meet the mattress and check the support columns at the these points as well. Children tend to like to pull on the walls and columns so they receive more stress than normal. Plus. these are major seams which are detrimental to the operation of the unit. If your unit is equipped with deflation ports or zippers. check the integrity of the Velcro flaps and zippers to ensure proper function. Most units have two blower tubes. These tubes take a lot of abuse bouncing around. especially with a blower attached. The biggest stress point for them is where they connect to the base, and then the cinch straps and buckle mechanisms. The straps and buckle should remain tight at all times. If they continually slip or loosen they should be replaced. Some tubes have a flap inside the units which prevents rapid deflation should be the blower fail. Check this flap for rips or thread damage where it attaches. Thoroughly inspect the safety ramp and entrance. Not all units have safety ramps. although more and more manufactures are tending towards using them on all units. Everyone who enters and exits the unit must use this area so it takes more than its fair Share of abuse. Double check all the seams in these steps, and stress points and webbing around the entrance on the wall.

Inside the jump area check all seams while paying close attention to the stress points along the walls and where the support columns meet the floor area. If you notice a steam that appears to bubble up more than normal. it’s a good indication you may have a baffle that I failing inside the base of unit. Check all overhead tubed and roof material from the inside.

If your unit comes equipped with large enough zipper ports. you may consider entering the unit for inspection. This is a two person task requires some simple safety precautions. Make sure you leave the zipper open and the unit inflated. A cell phone or portable radios for communication is strongly advised. A utility knife. folding knife or scissors in case you need to make an emergency exit and cut the material. A good working flashlight and a good dry towel in case you run across moisture.

If you do not feel comfortable in tight spaces, do not enter. After entering the unit make sure you are careful as you move about so as not to tear any of the interior components. The inside is made up of baffles which connect to various portions of the unit which allows the unit to maintain shape. Otherwise would just expand like a balloon. If you can’t fully enter the unit. check out as many areas as you can possibly see by looking\ inside.

While you are inside check as many of these baffles as you possible can. Check each connection point and all stitching. When a mattress tails and no exterior damage is visible, this is where you’ll most likely find cause. Mop up any moisture you encounter and you may even want to use a cleaner inside. Do not leave anything inside this unit. This includes moth balls deodorant cakes. dryer sheets etc. If you use a good citrus bases cleaner you’ll leave a pleasant aroma that will filter through the unit. Do not seal it up unit the interior is dry.

Double check to make sure everything is put away, nothing was left inside the interior of the mattress, or the jump area, and deflate and store your unit as desired. Keep in mind the old saying “a stitch in time saves nine”. More likely save your hundreds if not the cost of a new unit and we all want to make sure our unit stay in operation as often and as long as possible.

For more information about Jumping Castles, please visit AussieJump.