All bouncy castles and inflatables need blowers to inflate them and keep them inflated.
However, during normal use, the blower’s impeller blades attract airborne debris e.g. dust, dirt etc. which sticks to them and reduces their efficiency in much the same way that the build up of ice on an aircraft’s wing can seriously reduce its lifting capability.
An instant solution to this problem is to get a thin, long screwdriver and very gently poke it through the outlet of the blower and then very carefully and gently scrape away the debris from the impellor blades. If you scrape away at each blade, it will take about 5 – 10 minutes for all of them. After you have done this**, switch the blower on and stand well back, and make sure no-one is standing in front as all the debris and dirt you just scraped off will be expelled out in lumps and also in a cloud of thick dust and cover anything in front of it.
It’s very important to wear mouth and eye protection and also ensure that there is no risk of the blower being accidentally switched on whilst you are scraping the blades. It is also crucial that the blower is not run for more than a couple of seconds or so, as when it is not connected to an inflatable, it can put more strain on the motor bearings. I carried out this procedure at least once a year on all my blowers and never had an incident in 14 years. But please take utmost care when you do it, and be careful that you do not accidentally damage the impellors as you clean them.
** If the impellors are particularly dirty, then it is better to switch the blower on after say every 6 or 7 blades to expel the debris, in order to prevent too much of a build up of dust and dirt in the actual blower itself. If you would like to read more articles like this….please join the BIHA today….
Article posted by the BIHA www.biha.org.uk on 16th July 2008.