Help Repairing My Sagging Inflatables - Is Rejuvination Possible ?

I have had LOTS of experience with large inflatables, and the problem with all of them is the thread used to sew them is not UV resistant thread, it's ordinary thread. That means that over time, the thread holding the seams breaks down. I go over them when I put them up and again when I break them down to check the seams, and if necessary I just hand-sew them shut. Coats & Clark puts out an Outdoor Living Thread in a number of colors that is UV resistant. As a matter of fact, I got a brand new 11 foot dragon that flaps its wings this year for Halloween, and it ALREADY had a small break in one seam! An alternative and quick fix is to use clear Gorilla tape and tape over them. It has worked GREAT for me; it's water proof and holds beautifully, but should be applied when the piece is inflated (ask me how I know).

These inflatables are made of nylon that SHOULD be waterproof, but often aren't. For that, Thompson's (as in Thompson's Water Seal for decks) has a fabric waterproofing spray that is permanent and doesn't discolor the fabric. It works great and will last at least for the time the inflatable is displayed. I usually respray the inflatable when I first put it up for the season. I got two cans -- which last quite a while -- at Home Depot; it's easiest to get at the beginning of the summer season, because it's ordinarily used on outdoor fabric cushions. Hope all of this helps!
 
mattyw said:
I have had LOTS of experience with large inflatables, and the problem with all of them is the thread used to sew them is not UV resistant thread, it's ordinary thread. That means that over time, the thread holding the seams breaks down. I go over them when I put them up and again when I break them down to check the seams, and if necessary I just hand-sew them shut. Coats & Clark puts out an Outdoor Living Thread in a number of colors that is UV resistant. As a matter of fact, I got a brand new 11 foot dragon that flaps its wings this year for Halloween, and it ALREADY had a small break in one seam! An alternative and quick fix is to use clear Gorilla tape and tape over them. It has worked GREAT for me; it's water proof and holds beautifully, but should be applied when the piece is inflated (ask me how I know).

These inflatables are made of nylon that SHOULD be waterproof, but often aren't. For that, Thompson's (as in Thompson's Water Seal for decks) has a fabric waterproofing spray that is permanent and doesn't discolor the fabric. It works great and will last at least for the time the inflatable is displayed. I usually respray the inflatable when I first put it up for the season. I got two cans -- which last quite a while -- at Home Depot; it's easiest to get at the beginning of the summer season, because it's ordinarily used on outdoor fabric cushions. Hope all of this helps!
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We have an old 8' Ginch we bought off ebay that won't stand on his own, he is 12 years old. When you wet the grinch (advice I read on another forum) he will stand on his own; however, about an hour and a half to two hours later, he falls again. We tried the Thompson's fabric waterseal, and that actually made it worse, he wouldn't even inflate as much as he did before. We hosed him off to try get as much of the fabric waterseal off, and he stood again....but because he was wet.

Any advice?
 
melianguidry said:
We have an old 8' Ginch we bought off ebay that won't stand on his own, he is 12 years old. When you wet the grinch (advice I read on another forum) he will stand on his own; however, about an hour and a half to two hours later, he falls again. We tried the Thompson's fabric waterseal, and that actually made it worse, he wouldn't even inflate as much as he did before. We hosed him off to try get as much of the fabric waterseal off, and he stood again....but because he was wet.

Any advice?
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How did you apply the watersealer? Did you apply it to the outside or the inside of the unit?
I feel that it needs to be placed inside the inflatable so that it is somewhat forced into the fabric by the air pressure and not just pushed off the surface.
I use this and it works great. I spray it into the inflatable through the fan using short "bursts" of spray so that it spreads around with the air flow.
Or if you rather, you can use a silicone spray one. There are also products like "RainGuard" and Hydro-Lok" out now that may be useful but I have not tried any of those so can't say if they would work better or not.
I do agree that the thread on seams is a big problem maker with these things though and can cause a lot of inflation problems as it breaks or loosens up.

It almost sounds like you have leaks in the seams from things as the spray made the fabric "tighten up" and the air just spread the seams more and the air leaked worse possibly? Sounds like your waterproofing allowed the seams and or fabric to swell and leak more if you used it on the outside.
If that is the case, you will have to use a seal sealer and/or repair any broken threads. I tend to use the kind in squeeze tubes rather than spray as it is thicker and seals a bit better but the spray works very well. You have to seal seams while the inflatable is down though and allow the sealer to dry good before use.
It does take time to go over one of these things and repair them but I do mine each year as I love to have them.
 
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beeiilll said:
How did you apply the watersealer? Did you apply it to the outside or the inside of the unit?
I feel that it needs to be placed inside the inflatable so that it is somewhat forced into the fabric by the air pressure and not just pushed off the surface.
I use this and it works great. I spray it into the inflatable through the fan using short "bursts" of spray so that it spreads around with the air flow.
Or if you rather, you can use a silicone spray one. There are also products like "RainGuard" and Hydro-Lok" out now that may be useful but I have not tried any of those so can't say if they would work better or not.
I do agree that the thread on seams is a big problem maker with these things though and can cause a lot of inflation problems as it breaks or loosens up.

It almost sounds like you have leaks in the seams from things as the spray made the fabric "tighten up" and the air just spread the seams more and the air leaked worse possibly? Sounds like your waterproofing allowed the seams and or fabric to swell and leak more if you used it on the outside.
If that is the case, you will have to use a seal sealer and/or repair any broken threads. I tend to use the kind in squeeze tubes rather than spray as it is thicker and seals a bit better but the spray works very well. You have to seal seams while the inflatable is down though and allow the sealer to dry good before use.
It does take time to go over one of these things and repair them but I do mine each year as I love to have them.
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That Thompson's fabric seal is what I used. I sprayed it on the outside and did a few bursts inside while it was off, but it definitely made it worse.

I'll pick up a tube of that seal sealer and see if that helps now. Do you think if I hose down the outside enough it'll wash off the Thompson's that I sprayed on the outside?
 
melianguidry said:
That Thompson's fabric seal is what I used. I sprayed it on the outside and did a few bursts inside while it was off, but it definitely made it worse.

I'll pick up a tube of that seal sealer and see if that helps now. Do you think if I hose down the outside enough it'll wash off the Thompson's that I sprayed on the outside?
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You could also try washing it with a mild dish soap but usually once the stuff dries, it stays on there. I would definitely check the seams while it is inflated and see how they look. If the inflatable has lights in it, I find that checking it at night will show the areas of leaks up really better as you will see the "raw light" shining through any areas that are large holes. That way you can try and "fix" the places that seem to leak the worse first. Look at areas that any light attachment points might be sewn in at. They can get loose and cause leaks.

Also at 8 years old, the fan may just be starting to get "tired" as well and doesn't have the same force to it as when it was new. You should check it for dust as well as see how easily it spins when off. A small touch of fine machine oil on bearings will help them (WD40 works as well just not a lot as it will attract dust if you use a lot).

Hope this helps and have a Merry Christmas!
 
Typically, the problem at least for me has been seams that started to part. I bought a brand new 11 foot dragon this year for Halloween that already had split about a 3" part in a seam. Fortunately, I sew, and I repair them myself by hand-sewing, using UV resistant thread. If I have a large expensive inflatable with a split in a seam, I patch the split while it's up, then resew the entire seam once it's down. I've just finished reworking some of the seams on a 16 foot hearse with Dracula inside. I have not sprayed it with anything; I will only do that if I see that there is water inside an inflatable after it rains. I have not had to use it on an inflatable often, but when I did, I used it on the outside while it was inflated. I have never used it inside an inflatable. Others who have say that it's more effective, but I would imagine that it would be difficult to make sure the fabric was evenly covered that way, particularly if it's a superlarge inflatable, as many of mine are.

When I have sprayed inflatables, I haven't seen a difference in the fabric, such as puckering, after I did it. I try to spray one section at a time lightly, then re-spray it lightly when the first coat dries--about 24 hours later. I have also made replacement covers for outside furniture, and once sewn I always spray the fabric with two coats of Fabric Waterproofer. It works quite well. You can usually find it at or near the patio furniture display during the spring.

It appears that this material is what is called "pongee" in the trade. It's rip stop nylon that has been treated to be waterproof, and it's the same material used for umbrellas, although it's a slightly heavier grade. You can purchase it by the yard in fabric stores in their utilities section in several basic colors.
 
Thanks for rejuvenating this discussion .. I didn't run inflatables this year but next year I'll have 5 or 6. I'll try some of these ideas in the off season.
 
Hi, so I read this whole thread. My grinch inflates, but it just keeps wanting to fall over (it's the Gemmy one from 2000). It has always worked when I tether it down, but last year I started having trouble. There appears to be no leaks in it. From reading some other message boards, it sounds like I don't need a new motor? Is there a way this motor is working, but just not blowing it up enough? Thanks for the help!
 
As your inflatables age the blower will wear out and the fabric will leak more as seams stretch. When I have one that is sagging a little, I'll spray the whole thing with starch. The starch makes the fabric less porous, keeping the inflatable better inflated.

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk
 
DaveMcK said:
As your inflatables age the blower will wear out and the fabric will leak more as seams stretch. When I have one that is sagging a little, I'll spray the whole thing with starch. The starch makes the fabric less porous, keeping the inflatable better inflated.

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk
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Thank you, I have read about using sealer, fabric softener but never starch. Do you just spray it on the seams? I just wanted to make sure it doesn't leave marks.
 
bowl3001999 said:
Thank you, I have read about using sealer, fabric softener but never starch. Do you just spray it on the seams? I just wanted to make sure it doesn't leave marks.
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If an inflatable is only sagging a little you can be selective, but I usually spray the entire figure. My thinking is that if you do see a difference in color because of the starch, it will at least be consistent.
You can use most anything that will fill the fabric pores. In one case I went as far as using clear spray paint. It gave me a noticably shiny surface in daylight, but didn't look bad when lit at night.

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk
 
I used spray glue on my Winnie The Pooh and Tigger inflatables a few years ago. It took a couple of tries but they inflate nicely now. I turned each one of them on, reached my hand through the zipper with a can of spray glue and tried to hit the areas I thought were leaking more. I also sprayed glue in the middle and let it leak through the fabric. It's messy
and I should have worn respiratory and skin protection. Some of the glue gets through the small holes and onto your clothes, skin, etc. After the application I let them run for a few days to make sure the glue was dry. I only use 2 inflatables for Christmas and those usually run 24x7.
 
I have a pair of 2003 Gemmy 12.5 foot inflatables that just won't stand up. The fans are large and blow very strong but both are limp noodles. I took the best one and treated all the seams with gooey tent seam sealer and then sprayed the entire inflatable from the inside with silicone waterproofer and nothing. I'd really like to get these working again if there is any way possible as they are of a fantastic design. Any other ideas anyone could share? I tried to add a second but smaller fan and it made absolutely no difference.
 
If the fans are strong you are obviously losing air somewhere. Sealing the seams and coating the fabric usually solves that problem.
I can only suggest powering up then going over the inflatable inch by inch feeling for any large unexpected airflow then resealing those areas as needed.

Sent from my moto z4 using Tapatalk
 
Thanks for all the info. I too have a Gemmy inflatable from the early 2000's that I put up every couple of years for Halloween. It has not seen that much use (time) and worked fine about 2 years ago. I only run mine for about 4 hours a day and don't generally put them up until a week before Halloween. I store them in my garage so they are dry and only exposed to normal external temperatures in Ohio, not so warm. This year I plugged it in and just as everybody else mentions it does not stand all the way up. I immediately thought of the motor or something impeding intake or output of air. Could find no evidence of that. If I gently squeeze and hold the base it will stand all the way up.

If anyone is more mechanically inclined than I and have tried opening the plastic motor case and oiling it, I would love to hear about it or see a picture of where to add some oil. I do not want to spray it into the unit when operating as I can't see that as being effective to get it to where it is needed and it will coat the inside of the inflatable which I don't think will be beneficial.

I am going to order some seam sealer and was hoping that I could get some feed back on the motor oiling before it arrives. I would love to put it up for Halloween this year but time is getting short.

Appreciate any help!!
 
You might drop by places that sell inflatable pools or marine stores that sell inflatable recreational marine products. They would likely have repair kits specifically for vinyls.
 
We were given several huge holiday inflatables, which all seem to be in good condition, except that they won't fully inflate. They all use the big 120V blowers which are all working fine and putting out plenty of air. I examined all of them meticulously and could not find any significant holes or tears. I did fix a few tiny pinholes (less than 1/16") but that did not help.
So next I performed a "smoke test", literally, by setting of smoke bombs at the blower inlet. And they are literally leaking everywhere, along every inch of every seam and even through the fabric itself. So I've been rooting thru this thread, and numerous others on other sites, and have not found any clear-cut answers about what to seal and rejuvenate them with except maybe ScotchGuard. And as for that, they make quite a few different products including at least 3 different outdoor sun and water products. Atsko Silicone Water-Guard was also mentioned and looks promising.
So while I appreciate everyone jumping in on this thread, trying to help, and speculating what possibly might work, I respectfully ask that you only post products that you have actually tried and know that work. (Even though I admittedly have been known to post speculations.)
Thanks!
 
DrWizard said:
We were given several huge holiday inflatables, which all seem to be in good condition, except that they won't fully inflate. They all use the big 120V blowers which are all working fine and putting out plenty of air. I examined all of them meticulously and could not find any significant holes or tears. I did fix a few tiny pinholes (less than 1/16") but that did not help.
So next I performed a "smoke test", literally, by setting of smoke bombs at the blower inlet. And they are literally leaking everywhere, along every inch of every seam and even through the fabric itself. So I've been rooting thru this thread, and numerous others on other sites, and have not found any clear-cut answers about what to seal and rejuvenate them with except maybe ScotchGuard. And as for that, they make quite a few different products including at least 3 different outdoor sun and water products. Atsko Silicone Water-Guard was also mentioned and looks promising.
So while I appreciate everyone jumping in on this thread, trying to help, and speculating what possibly might work, I respectfully ask that you only post products that you have actually tried and know that work. (Even though I admittedly have been known to post speculations.)
Thanks!
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I would be very tempted to use/try neverwet by rustoleum as it addresses adhesion issues like ice, mud , water etc.
 
I am familiar with NeverWet. It is expensive and tricky to apply. Even worse, it doesn't last very long. NeverWet is superhydrophobic, so it chemically repels water, a trick that depends on water's surface tension to work. Therefore I doubt it is very effective at sealing air leaks.
There are a lot of products that at first look would seem to work, but you have to be careful about the thickness/weight, flexibility, and UV resistance. I actually have a large case of spray-on Flex-Seal that I scored a great deal on. I use it as a 'conformal coating' to seal all my electronics for outdoor use. But it's too thick and heavy to use on the inflatables. That's why I am wondering what people have actually tried that actually works.
 
Hi Folks,

I've had good results by spraying inside the balloon with Krylon clear spray paint, but it does make the the fabric a little stiff. If you can get your arm inside the running balloon and spray a few bursts, it seems to go right into the leaks. Use as little as possible and do it outside.

Hope this helps!

Take care, Joe.
 
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