As a legit party rental company we wanted to share with you what you should look for when renting a bounce house. Don’t just call cheapest place in Scranton and Wilkes Barre you find on Facebook. There’s a reason why they are cheap. These 5 bounce house rental tips will ensure that you and your children will have a great experience with inflatables.
Find A Reputable Rental Company
First and foremost you should always go with a reputable company. Inflatables are heavily regulated in Pennsylvania. The company you choose must be licensed, insured, and inspected by a state certified inspector. The guy renting the box store nylon bounce house on Craigslist and Facebook is none of these. Those units are not approved for commercial use, and pose a greater risk for injury than a commercial unit. The state actually has inspectors out in the field that will fine and confiscate their equipment if they are caught. So if you know one of these people, make them aware of the risks.
Cleaned and Sanitized
Second, cleanliness of the inflatables is a must. We clean and sanitize all of our units either immediately before or immediately after a rental depending on the time constraints. There is no excuse for receiving a dirty bounce house other than laziness. Granted with heavy use scuff marks and stains will happen, but those will not transfer to your clothes or skin. So how will you know if a company keeps their equipment clean before you call? Ask around. No doubt someone you know has rented one before. By the way, wet leaves are like kryptonite to vinyl. Occasionally they get stuck somewhere in the bounce house when rolling it up. If they sit any more than a few hours, they leave brown stains that only come out after repeated exposure to the sun. This has happened to us twice, and it is definitely a pain in the backside.
Stake It Down
Third, always make sure the person setting up the inflatable either stakes it down or weighs it down with sandbags. This is another no excuse situation. Always let the person you are renting from know if you are setting up on grass, or a hard smooth surface so they have the correct equipment with them to secure it.
Bounce Houses Are Not Babysitters
Fourth, always follow the safety instructions given to you. If you don’t receive them from the business you are renting from, I would question whether that company is reputable. Contrary to popular belief inflatables are not great “baby sitters.” I have seen companies advertise them as such, and I cringe when I see it. An adult should be present at all times supervising the participants. The majority of incidents that occur are from operator error which includes lack of supervision. I know, I know, I know. It’s getting late, you ran around all day with the party, and you just want to relax. I hear you. I have kids too. Unfortunately this is when the incidents happen. Pull up a lawn chair next to the bounce house and put your feet up there. It’s not going to kill you, and it will prevent the kids from getting out of hand.
Have Fun With Your Rental
Finally, have some fun! Bounce houses are a blast. Your kids will thank you for renting one. Besides the physical aspect and lack of weekend time with my family, the hardest part of my job is coming to pick up a rental and there is a child bouncing away inside. I hate being the bad guy, but hey it comes with the territory I guess.
Give Us A Call
So if you have read through these 5 bounce house rental tips and still aren’t sure who to call for a bounce house, just give us a call. Sir Bounce-A-Lot will deliver and set up all of our bounce houses for free within 20 miles of 18517. We are conveniently located between Scranton PA and Wilkes Barre PA to cover most of the area. If we don’t have the equipment you are looking for, or if you are out of our service area, we will refer you to someone that can help you.