kelly_pearson

Kelly Pearson is mom to three kiddos and owns Cowabunga’s with her husband Matt.  

They have owned almost a thousand  bouncy houses over their 10 years in business.  Cowabunga’s inflatables are customed designed for their indoor play center, & Kelly loves dreaming up new designs.

Their business model focuses on indoor family fun play & party time in a setting that parents feel comfortable playing along.

What you Need to Know About Renting a Bouncy House!

When it comes to renting a bouncy house, there are many important factors to consider to make sure that your taking measures to prevent any injuries!  While Cowabunga’s doesn’t rent inflatables, we do have a lot of experience with them!  Here is what you need to know about renting a bouncy house.

Delivery & Set Up

How are you going to pick up the unit & set it up?  These units tend to be several hundred pounds & won’t fit in an average SUV.  We always recommend using a company that offers delivery & on-site set up including staking the unit into the ground. This will offer you the easiest path to fun with an expert setting up your unit.

Other things to consider …

  1. Contact Dig Safe to make sure they mark all of your underground utilities so that stakes won’t disrupt your utilities.
  2. Mark any areas that you have in-ground sprinkler lines.
  3. Have a wide access point to your yard. 
  4. Ask the company if they will be driving on  your lawn to deliver the unit.
  5. You’ll need a plug within 50 feet strong enough to power the unit. Read this extension cord safety article!

Insurance & Liability

Renting a bouncy house and using it in your yard presents a unique liability issue.  If a guest was to get hurt, you could be held liable for medical expense & such. Make sure  to ask the rental company for an updated certificate of insurance AND check to make sure your homeowners policy covers the rented inflatable.

Here are our tips. 

  1. Have the rental company set up the unit.  This should give you the most secure set up & will be inspected by their employees.  Once the company drops the unit, the liability & responsibility most likely transfers to the renter. 
  2. Ask the company for a list of rules for the unit & follow them!
  3. Have a person overseeing the bouncy house!
  4. Monitor the weather for wind gusts & deflate immediately.

Read the Fine Print.

All rental contracts have clauses with rules & extra fees.  Make sure you read these carefully and follow all the rules so you don’t get unexpected fees.

Some of these may include.

  1. Automatic cancelation due to weather.
  2. No refunds even if the unit can’t be used due to weather or winds.
  3. Damage to the unit because of paint, silly string, pets, rodents etc.
  4. Extra cleaning fees due to mud, food or other items that cause a mess.
  5. Renter liability for unit while at their home.

Safety Best Practices

Make sure to set your party up for success with these best practices for using a bouncy house at your home.

  1. Know the rules & limitations of the bouncy house you’re renting. Follow them!
  2. Have an adult monitoring the equipment at all times.
  3. Have a plug that’s on a dedicated circuit for the bouncy house.
  4. Secure the unit with stakes or sand bags as required by the manufacturer.
  5. Pick a unit appropriate for the age & size of the kids attending the party.
  6. Place the bouncy house in a shaded area as the vinyl will get hot in the sun.
  7. Don’t add water to a dry unit unless approved by the rent company.
  8. Monitor the weather deflate unit immediately if there’s big wind gusts.  The stakes are not designed to hold the unit down during repeated wind gusts.

Feeling Overwhelmed?

Want the fun of a bouncy house without the stress?    Let us do the work for you!  Come party at Cowabunga’s! Cowabunga’s was built for amazing birthday parties, and we have party packages to fit all sizes and budgets.  Best thing about it — we make planning easy with an online booking system!  Check it out today!

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