Can You Use a Bounce House in Winter Weather?
Your family’s bounce house has served you well all year. You’ve set it up from spring through fall, and the kids adore it. But can you use a bounce house in winter, though? Exactly how cold is “too cold” for a bounce house to be used safely?
High quality bounce houses like the ones we sell here at Pogo are made from heavy duty vinyl. And vinyl and cold air aren’t the best of pals. As the air gets colder, the vinyl gets stiffer and harder. And that means your bounce house becomes less … well … bouncy.
We’re going to go into a little more detail shortly, but here’s the super short answer: Can you use a bounce house in winter? Technically, yes. Should you? Absolutely not! Using a bounce house in winter is unsafe for the people using it, as well as for the bounce house itself. So we definitely encourage people not to do it.
How Cold is Too Cold for a Bounce House?
As you probably remember from science class, molecules are constantly moving around. When it’s warm, they expand (move apart), and when it’s cold, they contract (come together). And that plays an important role in why and how vinyl makes your bounce house bouncy.
A vinyl crossover or commercial inflatable will become looser and more bouncy in warmer weather, but then stiffer and less bouncy in colder weather.
Temperatures of 60 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer are nominal for vinyl inflatables. Below 60 degrees, you’ll notice the bounce house is losing a little of its bounciness. Below 50 degrees, the bounce house is a lot stiffer, to the point where some kids will complain the bounce house isn’t as fun as usual.
The real trouble starts at around 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Below 40, those molecules contract to the point where the vinyl itself isn’t only stiffer, but more brittle. And that means each and every individual bounce inside that inflatable runs the risk of causing the vinyl to crack.
Setting up a bounce house in cold weather also makes it significantly harder to manage. All of that stiffness means deflating your bounce house and rolling it up will be difficult and frustrating. And properly cleaning your bounce house won’t be much fun, either!
So let’s set this scene, shall we? It’s 39 degrees Fahrenheit. Your inflatable blower is pumping the bounce house with cold air, and the mild wind is bombarding the vinyl with even more cold air. The kids aren’t going to be comfortable in these conditions. The bounce house is more rigid than usual, which not only means it’s less fun, but there’s a greater risk of injury. And the vinyl runs the serious risk of cracking and getting damaged, too.
No, You Shouldn’t Use a Bounce House in Winter Conditions
We strongly advise against setting up your bounce house in temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The lack of flexibility means there’s a higher risk of someone getting hurt. And using your bounce house in cold weather exposes it to serious risk of damage, too.
Some of you reading this might be considering a winter bounce house rental. Calling around your area, you’ll find that most rental operators will refuse to set up a commercial inflatable in unsafe conditions. The risk of someone getting hurt, coupled with the high chance of the equipment getting damaged, will scare off most event and party rental companies.
Related: Organizing an Awesome Indoor Bounce House Party
There is a safe option, though: setting up an indoor bounce house party. As the link above explains in more detail, bounce houses work perfectly fine indoors, provided you give them enough space. Some rental companies are more than happy to accommodate an indoor setup. You may also have family entertainment centers in your area with indoor bounce house facilities.
If you own a bounce house, or if you’re thinking of buying one, setting up indoors is just as easy as setting up outside. You’ll need ample space, a hard floor, a heavy duty tarp, and some safety mats. Again, that related link we shared a moment ago will walk you through everything you need.
Can you use a bounce house in winter? Not without exposing your family and your bounce house itself to a lot of unnecessary risks. And given the fact you can set up a bounce house indoors, there’s really no reason to use a bounce house in cold weather.