mail zone Archives - Blast Zone Blog

Mail Zone: Recommended Ages, Warranty vs. Promise, and Space for Blowers

September 20, 2016September 20, 2016 BlastZone Leave a comment

David Asks:

Up to what ages are the home inflatables good for? Would they be good for a 10 year old?

Blast Zone:

The recommended ages for our home-use inflatables are 3 and up, however the ideal age group for each inflatable varies. The ideal age typically depends on the size of the inflatable and the included features. To give an example, smaller inflatables like the Little Bopper Bounce House or Tropical Splash Compact Slide are designed with smaller kids in mind. Not only would these inflatables not offer much excitement for bigger kids, they are also not designed to support children over 75 lbs.

On the other hand, larger inflatables with more features tend to be more popular with older children. While younger kids can find contentment in bouncing around all day, older kids typically prefer something with a little more action. For this reason, older kids do better with slides, combos, or with larger bouncers which have enough extra space for their friends.

In general, no matter which inflatable you’re using, it is important that players in a Bounce House or other Inflatable Play Structure are evenly matched in size, age, development, and skillset. As always, use common sense, follow safety guidelines, and have a blast!

Alyssa Asks:

What’s the difference between a warranty and a “promise”?

Blast Zone:

The 2 Year Promise is, in fact, a warranty. It is similar to those on tires or a car battery, it is prorated as time goes on. However, because ours comes with a 1-year 100% warranty period instead of a sliding scale that starts on day 1, and because we feel the term “warranty” can be misleading on the front-end, we refer to it as a promise.

If you’d like to review complete details of the 2-Year Promise, you can view them here: http://www.blastzone.com/2-yr-home-promise

Peter Asks:

How much room is required for the blower tube? Where does it enter the bounce house?

Blast Zone:

A blower connects to the inflatable via a long yellow air tube. This tube is not typically included in our overall inflated dimensions because it doesn’t add anything to the actual size of the unit as much as it may require a little more space to set up. Therefore, we generally recommend that you allow at least 6 Feet for the inflation tube and blower.

On nearly all of our inflatables, this inflation tube extends directly out of the back. The exception to this would be in instances where the entrance to the inflatable is situated in the back, in which case the inflation tube will extend from the side. An example of this would be the Tropical Splash Compact Slide, or the Shark Park 10-in-1 Water Park.

Splash Zone with Blast Zone — The Tropical Splash is one of the few inflatables with an inflation tube on the side.

In our Blast Zone Mail Zone series, we answer good questions submitted by you, our great customers. Pardon us if we repeat ourselves occasionally. Some questions are asked frequently, and worth answering more than once!

Blast Zone appreciates your questions. If you’d like to submit a Mail Zone Question, please email us at mailbag@blastzone.com. For immediate assistance, feel free to call us at 877-889-4685, or email us at service@blastzone.com

Mail Zone: Choosing an Inflatable, European Sockets, and Ship Times

May 9, 2016January 9, 2018 BlastZone Leave a comment

Adrienne Asks:

I’m looking for an inflatable but I’m not sure what to choose. Can I get a few recommendations?

Blast Zone:

We are always happy offer recommendations. Because all of our products are made equally to the highest quality, ultimately the choice does come down to your personal preference.

There are several things to consider when shopping for inflatables including your application, desired features, your budget, and the amount of kids you’ll be entertaining. Another consideration is the reason for the purchase. If it is a gift, you may want to take the preferences of the giftee into consideration when making your choice. For example, a child interested in animals might love our series of Shark or Crocodile inflatables. If the gift is not a surprise, you might find that kids are often excited to be included in the buying process. You can try asking them to pick a few of their favorites or give them two options to choose between.

You can view the product features and specifications for each item by clicking though to the individual product pages. When shopping for your desired features, try out the compare tool on our website for a visual comparison. To use our compare tool, simply add a few items to the compare list and then at the top of the website, click “compare”. In a new window you’ll see the items you’ve chosen side-by-side with a comparison between the features and descriptions of the items.

For further assistance with choosing the best inflatable for you and your family, give our customer support team a call at 877-889-4685. We would be happy to assist you!

Laszlo Asks:

Are your products compatible for use with a UK electrical socket?

Blast Zone:

All of our blowers are ETL certified and designed for use in the US and Canada. Our blowers run off of a standard US 120v outlet. Unfortunately we are unable to recommend any converters for use with European electrical sockets, but they are available.

Bette Asks:

If I place my order on a Friday and select 2-day shipping, will my product arrive on Sunday?

Blast Zone:

Because orders can only be delivered on business days, an order placed on a Friday would not be delivered on a Sunday. If your order is placed on BlastZone.com and 2-day delivery is selected, your order will be delivered after 2 business days. Because our expedited shipping service only runs on business days, a 2-day order placed on a Friday before 2:00 pm will be delivered the following Tuesday.

If an order is placed before 2:00 pm PST (or 5:00 pm EST) it will ship out the same business day. Orders placed after that time will ship the following day. When an order ships out, it is picked up by the carrier at the end of the day and sent to a local sort facility where it will be routed for delivery. The first transit day is the following business day.

Mail Zone: Time Limits on Blowers, Sun Shades, and Using Extension Cords

December 9, 2015January 9, 2018 BlastZone Leave a comment

Jonathan Asks:

Does my blower have to be on the whole time or can I fill up the bouncer and then turn it off? Does the blower over heat if you have it on for a long time?

Blast Zone:

Blast Zone inflatables are constructed with a breathable fabric which allows some air to escape through the corners, seams, and through small pinholes in the material. Because the inflatable is not air tight, you will need to keep the blower running continuously in order to keep your unit inflated. This is the nature of most inflatable bouncers and slides in the constant-air category, which are the high quality, durable inflatables.

There isn’t any time limit to how long you can run your blower but we do recommend using common sense in this arena. If you are planning an event and you know that you will be running the inflatable for several hours or all day long, you can plan for small breaks in between. If you’re planning to run your inflatable all day, you can stop the blower for 10-15 minutes every 4 hours or so to allow the blower to cool down.

Overheating is not common, but there is a breaker built-in to protect the functionality of your blower. If it overheats, the internal breaker on the blower will not turn on for approximately two hours to allow it to cool down completely. Rather than exhausting the unit itself, overheating is more often caused by external factors such as high heat from the sun. You can minimize this by placing the blower in the shade.

To keep inflated the blower must stay on at all times!

Stephanni Asks:

Why don’t any of your bouncers have roof coverings? Can I order one as an add on?

Blast Zone:

Home use inflatables do not include any sun shades or roof coverings because all of our products are designed to adhere to safety standards to prevent entrapment hazards. With these standards in mind, no Blast Zone inflatable with a bounce area smaller than 13′ x 13′ feature any type of roof covering.

Roofs/coverings on inflatable are typically in place to deflect sunlight, as prolonged direct sunlight can heat up the vinyl bounce surface. You can protect children from heated vinyl surfaces by setting inflatables up in a shaded areas, recommending protective clothing like socks, and by avoiding using inflatables in extreme weather conditions such as high heat or direct sunlight. Or if things are getting a little warm, use a wet towel to cool off the vinyl.

We advise the use of common sense safety practices at all times. If your setup seems unsafe for any reason, do not allow children to play there until you’ve tested it and any issues have been resolved! Do not allow children to come in contact with a bounce surface if it seems hot to the touch, has been sitting in direct sunlight for a long period of time, etc.

One great way to keep bounce surfaces cool is to place the inflatable in the shade!

Jenn Asks:

My manual says no extension cords can be used. Is this really true and what is the reason for this?

Blast Zone:

The CPSC does not allow us to make recommendations on extension cords, however the built-in 75′ option we offer meets safety requirements for the device. In such scenarios it is important that the cord be heavy enough gauge to be safe and minimize any loss of amperage to the device.

Mail Zone: Differences Between Commercial Grade and Home Use Inflatables

November 13, 2015January 9, 2018 BlastZone Leave a comment

The Blast Zone Pirate Bay Inflatable Water Park is for home-use only.

Deborah Asks:

Is the pirate blaster commercial? How do I know if an item is commercial grade? I run a social kids fund at our campground and I am interested in a commercial water slide.

Blast Zone:

The Pirate Blaster is not a commercial grade item. It is a home-use item and is not designed for commercial use. You can view this item and its current pricing by viewing the item on BlastZone.com.

You can typically tell if an item is commercial grade because it will have the word “commercial” in the name. Another indication when browsing the Blast Zone website, is that the commercial items will be categorized in the commercial section of our site. There is also a price difference between home use and commercial grade, this is because there are several differences between these two categories. While home use products are designed for personal use, commercial inflatables are designed for business applications such as party rentals or summer camps.
Our commercial inflatables come with a longer warranty than our home use products, are constructed of heavy duty commercial grade materials, and feature higher weight capacities. While we don’t have the exact model you were interested in available in commercial grade, we do have a selection of commercial grade water inflatables that would likely suit your needs.

warranty-2year — Blast Zone 1 Year Warranty and 2 Year Promise come with all Home Use Inflatables!

Tiffany Asks:

Is the home warranty for 1 year or 2 years? What is the 2 Year Promise?

Blast Zone:

Blast Zone home-use products come with a 1-year limited warranty. This warranty protects against defects in material and workmanship for one year from the date of purchase. The 2-year promise is a program allows us to stand by our products even after the 1-year warranty period has ended.

In a nutshell, the 2-Year Promise provides an option to buy a very heavily discounted replacement product for up to 2 years after the date of purchase. If you choose to replace your Blast Zone Residential Inflatable within a two year period from the original date of purchase, after the full Limited warranty period for reasons detailed on our 2-Year Promise page, Blast Zone will replace your inflatable with the same unit or a similar unit of your choosing, without the blower, at a discount of 50% off of the non-sale, non-discounted retail price listed at blastzone.com at the time of claim.

For more details on the 1-Year limited warranty or the 2-Year Promise, please visit the “Info” tab on blastzone.com where we provide everything you need to know in detail.

Mail Zone: Blower Loudness, Concrete, and The Differences Between the Pirate Bay and Pirate Blaster

October 13, 2015January 9, 2018 BlastZone Leave a comment

People Often Ask:

How loud are Blast Zone Blowers?

Blast Zone:

blower-sound1

We often get this question, so we had an independent lab measure the decibel rating of our blowers, while attached to a bounce house, which is the most practical application for this test. Each measurement was taken 1 meter from different parts of the blower – The outlet nozzle, inlet, opposite side of inlet, and rear. We then averaged the ratings, which were similar in each position. We did it this way because most people are concerned with the level they will perceive when using the product, rather than the specific rating of the motor itself.

Typically users are not this close to the blower, so the actual decibels registered by players would be lower, or substantially lower than these results. The average reading for the various blowers was 73dB, with a range of 67-83. The 67 dB reading is the blower used on smaller items designed for younger players, while the 83 rating is at the outlet nozzle of the blower we use on the largest Home Use Bounce House and Inflatable Water Parks, typically designed for older players, which also happen to be products where the blowers are commonly further from the entry or play area.

We usually tell people the sound of the blower is similar to a vacuum cleaner. Reviews of test results on a number of common vacuum brands ranged from 75dB to 90dB, so the more accurate answer is “Our Bounce House Blowers are typically quieter than a relatively quiet vacuum cleaner.”

The List Below Illustrates the dB level of common household noises.

60	Conversational speech
73	Average Blast Zone Home Use Blower
75-90	Popular Vacuum Cleaners

Now on to Inventing a vacuum bounce house that cleans the house while kids play!

Anon Asks:

This is wonderful, do I have to worry about this getting holes in it if it is used on concrete?

Blast Zone:

We get this question way more than we’d like. Please do not use any inflatable on concrete or hard surfaces. You need to worry about safety first and foremost, but yes, the concrete can also damage the inflatable!

BE SAFE and have a blast.

Allie Asks:

Pirate Blaster Inflatable Water Park.
Question: What are the differences between this version (Blaster) and Pirate Bay? I noticed it said improved design. Thanks!

Blast Zone:

pirateblaster-update

The Pirate Blaster is indeed an improved version of the Pirate Bay, in that it adds a couple features. First, an “Inside Return” path is added to the inflatable water park, that allows kids to reach the climbing wall to the slide without exiting the water park. This keeps grass and debris out of the splash area, since kids don’t have to get out and get back in repeatedly.

Second, the Blaster has a reconfigured pool that is a little more efficiently geared towards kid’s play habits.

As far as the other “improvements” – The Pirate Blaster was the first to feature a couple of upgrades to the design structurally that are more “Behind the scenes” but have since been applied to the Pirate bay, and are included on all Pirate Inflatable Water Parks sold since 2014.

So when deciding between the two very similar items, the Pirate Bay offers a lower entry price, while the Blaster adds the return path, updated look and reconfigured pool to the Pirate-Themed Inflatable Water Park

Have a Blast!

After School Cool: Using a Bounce House to Keep Kids Focused

October 7, 2015January 9, 2018 BlastZone Leave a comment

It's that time of year! BACK TO SCHOOL! — It’s that time of year! BACK TO SCHOOL!

Back-to-School season is upon us. For many children, school has been in session for about a month. Now families are re-working their normal schedules to fit around the school day. Everyone’s day is a little bit different depending on what activities you may have lined up. While some parents may be working out a carpool schedule for after school sports, practices, or music lessons, others are working on getting their kids to finish up their homework and chores before dinner time.

Kids are human too, and they too can get a bit burnt out by a long day’s work. We’ve all heard James Howell’s proverb, “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” That might just be true! While of course, there are plenty of things that simply must be done each day, it is also true that breaking the day up with a little bit of fun can make a long day feel a bit shorter.

During the school-day, there is a reason that kids are given recess. They need a break. In fact, according to Larry Silver, M.D. kids who receive a mid-day break from school work display an improved ability to stay on task.

You might find your family somewhere in the spectrum between busy and bored, but we can help you find ways to entertain your children after school. Whether it is in between other activities or all afternoon, there are a lot of ways to offer kids a bit of distraction.

During the back to school season, kids are more restless and rambunctious than usual after focusing on their school work all day. By the time they get home, it’s been hours since recess and they’ve probably been sitting at a desk for quite a while.

If your schedules are tight, finding time for a bit of fun may be no easy feat. Getting kids to step away from what they are working on for even just a few minutes can give them the pick-me-up they might need. You can accomplish this by suggesting a brief activity to refresh their minds.

Taking the dog for a quick walk around the neighborhood (Fido wouldn’t object) is a great way to fill two needs with one deed. No dog? No problem. You can also try challenging them to a quick competition. Race them around the block or challenge them to a dance off (and don’t be too discouraged if they win).

For those days when going outside is not an option, you can still take a quick snack break or a few minutes of movement to stretch and shake out the day’s tension. Brain Den also offers an awesome selection of fun puzzles and brain teasers.

BACK-TO-SCHOOL-MCindoor — The Blast Zone Magic Castle is perfect for outdoor and indoor use!

If you have more free time in the afternoons a bike ride or spending some time outside bouncing on a bounce house is sure to be a welcome distraction, especially if you limit screen time for your little ones.

At first, a bounce house may not seem like a conventional form of entertainment at home but this idea is becoming a more common choice for families due to the easy set up and minimal clean up involved. You may have the impression that bounce houses are only for parties, but bouncers are a great way to get the blood flowing after school.

As the fall season approaches, using an inflatable at home makes even more sense. As the weather becomes unpredictable, a bounce house can be moved inside to avoid the elements. The Magic Castle Bounce House is great because it is big enough to excite kids but compact enough to fit in the house on a stormy day.

The “what” is typically not as important as the “why” when it comes to entertaining kids after school. Keeping them busy does help to keep them out of trouble in addition to supporting their growth in general, but giving them a little time to step away from work and have some fun each afternoon keeps them engaged and focused on the tasks thrown at them each day.

Mail Zone: Indoor Setup, Custom Business Packages, and Upgrading Blowers

September 23, 2015January 9, 2018 BlastZone Leave a comment

Meri Asks:

Why do my setup instructions tell me not to set the item up on carpet?

Blast Zone:

The general reason we state not to install the inflatable on carpet in the assembly instructions is to keep you mindful of the surface that you are setting up on. While level, soft grass is the ideal location for a bouncer, we do understand that our inflatables are also purchased for indoor use. Some carpeted surfaces can be very hard, such as industrial carpeting without padding, but most homes use a standard type of carpeting that is much softer. The main point of the precaution is to advise against using on hard surfaces.

Another point to the safety precaution is that products cannot be properly anchored with the stakes, but provided you use sand bags, this is irrelevant, as the sand bags are designed to make the product indoor-compatible. If you feel you’d like additional padding around the entry way, you can also place a blanket, folded or otherwise, to your liking, underneath the entry ramp.

Generally, we advise the use of common-sense safety practices at all times. If your location seems unsafe for any reason, do not set up your inflatable there! This would include very hard surfaces, area rugs that are not secured onto the flooring, obstructions, cramped spaces, etc.

Salina Asks:

I need to buy a commercial package, but I would like to modify your package. How do custom packages work?

Blast Zone:

You can modify existing packages using the drop boxes on the package page before adding the item to your cart. These drop boxes allow for minor alterations such as changing the size or color scheme on one of the included inflatables. You can also switch out any inflatable in a package for something different by creating a custom package.

Our custom commercial packages are a great alternative to the existing, already created business packages on our website. If you don’t see a package that contains the right items for you, you can create one from scratch or modify existing packages, deciding on which items will be included.

Our custom packages work by offering different discount levels depending on the total value of your package. Your package would include one hand truck and a set of sandbags for each inflatable for weighted anchoring. You will decide on which inflatables to include. When all items are added together at full retail, your total will determine the level of discount that you would qualify for. Packages with a value of $2,500.00 USD or more qualify for a 10% discount, packages with a value of $4,000.00 USD or more qualify for a 15% discount, and packages with a value of $5,000.00 USD or more qualify for a 20% discount.

If you are interested in creating a custom package or if you would like to modify an existing package, give our commercial sales team a call at 877-889-4685 (option 2). We would be happy to put together a quote for your custom package to let you know the best price that we can offer on a customized business package.

Linda Asks:

My castle isn’t firm enough. Can I upgrade to a stronger blower?

Blast Zone:

We do not recommend using a blower that is stronger than what comes included with your inflatable. We include the correct blower for each inflatable, one that is designed to provide the proper air support for your inflatable.

We manufacture our inflatables to meet the guidelines of ASTM safety standards. Per these standards, our inflatables are meant to be a little “soft” so that it provides a pillowy landing surface for anyone bouncing inside. Using a stronger blower would cause your inflatable bouncer to be too firm. It would fail to softly cushion a jumper’s landing.

Using a stronger blower not only makes your landing surface a lot firmer, it can also cause your inflatable to become too rigid. This results in a tighter bounce platform, which many would describe as being not quite “bouncy enough”.

Mail Zone: Setting Up on a Slope, Financing, and Bouncers for Adults

September 14, 2015January 10, 2018 BlastZone 1 Comment

Kristin Asks:

Hi, I ordered the Spray n Splash inflatable park and was planning to use it in my backyard for a pool party today. However, we have a slight slope in the yard going down, at about a 10% grade. Is this OK?

Blast Zone:

Though a level surface would be ideal, we understand that this is not possible for everyone. Because your slope is not too extreme, it should be fine. We do recommend setting the slide up so that the water does not pool up against the base of the slide. It is better to have the outer rim of the splash area to be downhill from the slide.

Please use common-sense safety practices at all times. If your location seems unsafe for any reason, do not set up your inflatable there! This would include unsafe slopes, loose soil, obstructions, power lines, bear caves, volcanoes, etc.

Grass is idea for setting up an inflatable — Grass is ideal for setting up an inflatable.

Luke Asks:

Do you do financing, lease to own, to individuals? Or is that only for businesses? I am really interested in financing one of your bounce houses.

Blast Zone:

We do offer financing through our third party financing partner, Leasestation. Financing is only available for commercial orders and you can apply online, directly through our website. When you submit your application, be sure to apply for the total amount that you’d need to cover all of your equipment costs. For example, if you’re interested in an inflatable that costs $2,000.00 and you also want to add accessories that cost an additional $300.00, you would want to add in the cost of the accessories from our website to the total of the inflatable to get your total equipment cost. If you are unsure of your pricing, give us a call and we’d be happy to help out.

At this time Leasestation is only offering financing to businesses, so you would require an EIN or tax ID in order to be approved. If you are planning to start up a new business and do not yet have an EIN, you can apply for one online. It takes about 15 minutes to complete the application. You can still apply without your EIN initially, but the application will be pending until an EIN is provided.

You should find out instantly whether you are approved for financing or not, but if you do not get an immediate response, it may mean that Leasestation needs a little more information from you in order to proceed. Once you have been approved for financing, give our sales team a call at 877-889-4685 and be sure to mention that your order is being financed. Once you’ve decided on the items you want and have placed an order, our sales team will transmit your order to Leasestation so that they can complete the terms of your financing. Once you have signed off on all terms, Leasestation will fund your order and your equipment will ship.

Ramona Asks:

Can adults use any of your bouncers? I want something that I can play with my kids in.

Blast Zone:

Smaller adults weighing 100 lbs or less may use most of our inflatables, but we recommend exploring our commercial grade inflatables for items that can be used by most adults and children alike. While our home use inflatables do feature a 100 lbs per person weight capacity, most of our commercial grade bouncers can support users up to 250 lbs each, with a minimum weight supported of 200lbs.

It is important to evenly match players, because a large adult sliding, tumbling, or jumping on top of a smaller child is a potentially unsafe situation (link to evenly matched players article). If you intend to play in the inflatable with your child, avoid roughhousing, and do not slide with your child in your lap.

Mail Zone Q&A (September 2nd, 2015)

September 2, 2015January 9, 2018 BlastZone Leave a comment

Stephanie Comments:

Inflating is easy and effortless but deflating takes some time and patience. It would be easier if blower worked as a deflater as well to make take down just as effortless as set up.

Blast Zone:

Including and offering deflators are things we have considered in the past. We have, in fact, offered deflators for sale for our commercial inflatables, but we currently do not. We found that while there is a demand for a deflation device, they just don’t work as expected in the real world, and don’t meet the level of satisfaction our customers deserve and expect from us.

The primary reason we found the deflators ineffective in deflating commercial inflatables is that the vinyl material sucks onto the inlet of the deflator, restricting airflow, and rendering it useless. For commercial inflatables, we found the strategy of adding larger, strategically placed deflation “zippers” to be much more effective.

This comment was actually pertaining to home use inflatables. Unfortunately the issues with commercial deflators would be even worse with home use inflatables, due to the pliability of the material (which is even more pliable than the commercial vinyl), and even more propensity for the Bounce House or Inflatable Water Park to suck onto the inlet nozzle of the deflator and create a frustrating mess. Additionally, the configuration required for the blower to double as a deflator makes shipping impractical and restricts the inbound airflow to the inflatable during normal fan operation while the inflatable toy is in use. So this is a great idea, but something we are unable to offer in a fashion that would meet the satisfaction levels we expect for our customers.

Jarika Asks:

Does the Shark Park come with balls?

Blast Zone:

Adding Play Balls to your Blast Zone Inflatable is a great way to add extra fun to the party. Some Blast Zone items even have Ball Pits built in. Yet we don’t include balls with any Blast Zone Inflatables.

shark_park_1669_detail

Why Not!?

Simple: To offer our inflatables at the highest value and lowest entry cost possible. Blast Zone Sells the inflatable (Including Blower) at the lowest entry cost. Then we leave the option to buy Play Balls up to you, rather than bundling them into a higher-priced offering. However, if balls are purchased as an optional add on with your Blast Zone Bounce House or Inflatable Water Park at the time of purchase, the Balls are discounted. Balls are also discounted further as you buy more.

As a simple add-on, 150 balls are usually sufficient. For products with Ball Pits built-in, most customers report purchasing around 600 balls.

Matt Asks:

What is the max CFM for the Superstar Inflatable, it comes a 600 CFM blower and there are two ports in the back can you hook up a second blower or a bigger blower?

Blast Zone:

We’re not going to jump into detailed specs here. What is worth noting, however, is the second part of the question, “there are two ports in the back can you hook up a second blower or a bigger blower.”

One should never need to attempt to hook a second blower to any Blast Zone Home use inflatable. The 2 tubes mentioned refer to (1) the longer inflation tube, and (2) a short “quick deflation” tube, which is to remain shut during use. We mean it. That’s why “Tie Shut During Use” is printed on the deflation tube!

double air blower bounce house — Make Sure to Tie the 2nd Tube Shut During Use!

Every Blast Zone Inflatable Bounce House and Water Park is engineered to a specific blower, and that blower provides the necessary air flow for the listed user capacity.

Mail Zone (June 22nd, 2015)

June 22, 2015January 9, 2018 BlastZone 2 Comments

Jill Asks:

I have been thinking of starting an inflatable slide and bounce house business and wonder what insurance I would need to cover liability when they are being rented out?

Blast Zone:

Hello,Properly insuring your business is obviously important. You will be seeking liability insurance to cover your business and patrons.You may start by asking your current carrier to provide this sort of general business liability insurance, or look to a specialized company for your insurance needs. Inflatable Insurance may alternately be referred to as “amusement insurance” or “ride insurance” depending on your locale. You can typically get inflatable insurance with varying degrees of coverage depending on your needs or the size of your operation, and some plans are quite affordable.

Rates may depend on your projected revenue, number of inflatables bouncers, slides, obstacles, etc in your inventory, and a number of other factors. The company will also ask you to register the specific serial numbers of the commercial inflatable devices, in order to cover those specific inflatables. Make sure you are purchasing your inflatable from a reputable inflatable manufacturer, who follows serialization. Blast Zone Commercial Inflatables have the serial number on the front label. If you are in the process of purchasing a Blast Zone Commercial Inflatable, we can provide you the serial number at the time of shipping. If your device does not have a serial number, it is not ASTM compliant, and insurers will likely not insure it, so this is critical to running your business legally and successfully.

Blast Zone does not recommend any specific providers, but below are some resources from whom some of our customers have obtained insurance. Your local carrier may also be able to provide insurance.

InflatableInsurance.com
http://www.inflatableinsurance.com
770-478-6548

Cossio Insurance Agency
www.weinsureinflatables.com
864-688-0121

Altemeier-Oliver & Co.
www.dakin-ins.com/aoc.asp
513-984-5335

Evolution Insurance Brokers
www.friedman-group.com
800-321-1493

Accordia
www.accordia.com
952-830-3039

Neil Oliver Insurance Company
www.inflatableinsurance.com
770-478-6548

Sterling & Sterling
www.sterlingrisk.com
516-773-8673

Anonymous Hippopotamus Asks:

Can I use my inflatables if it’s over 90 degrees?

Blast Zone:

bounce house heat temperature

Here’s the logic behind this question: Blast Zone instructional materials mention not to use inflatables in direct sunlight over 90 degrees. This is to keep the surfaces from getting too hot, just like a park slide or blacktop becomes in high heat, and applies mostly to dry inflatable products or wet/dry Inflatables being used dry. However, there are a number of ways to ensure surfaces don’t get too hot, even in higher heat.

Water Parks. Water parks are obviously popular on hot days, so it would be a shame not to use them when Mr Sun is really pumping out the heat. By running the water in your Inflatable Water Park, the surfaces will stay much cooler, so just check surface temps with your hand once in awhile to make sure nothing is getting uncomfortably hot.

Shade. By Setting your inflatable up in the shade, surface temperatures should not become such an issue. Feel for hot surfaces the same as noted above.

Wet towels. If a surface is becoming too warm, keep a wet towel on hand, and towel off the surface to cool it down. In this case, surfaces can still heat up pretty quickly. This typically applies to bouncers.

Even with these recommendations, it is the adult’s responsibility to make sure surfaces do not become too hot, which is possible in high heat. If they feel too hot, even if you towel them off, kids should go do something else.

And remember, even in a cool water park, it’s easy to become dehydrated on hot days, so make sure kids and adults have plenty of water to drink!

Have a Blast!

Tiny Asks:

Question: when my 141lb daughter goes on the slide, it sinks. is this because the product is not fully inflated or because it can not support the weight exceeding 100lb?

Blast Zone:

Blast Zone Home Use Inflatables have a maximum user weight of 100 Lbs. As long as the blower is on and the Inflatable Water Park is properly set up, it is likely the sink is caused by the user exceeding the weight limit by 41%