Who has not had, for example, an inflatable mat? And how many of us have one of these objects punctured? Don’t worry, this article will help you solve the problem.
If you do not want the fun to be cut short by the breakage of your inflatable mat, pay attention, we will show you how to repair it and we encourage you to put into practice some very interesting tricks that will be very useful. Let’s go there!
How to prevent punctures in your inflatable mat
First of all, you should keep in mind that air mattresses have a few advantages over classic thermal insulators made of foam or other materials that cannot be punctured; they are lighter, take up less space and are usually more comfortable. However, they have a great disadvantage, and that is that they can be punctured.
Therefore, it is convenient that you know how to repair an inflatable mat as well as other inflatables for swimming pools. Later we will explain how to repair it, but first we will teach you to maintain them correctly to extend their life as long as possible and avoid punctures.
- The first thing we must do, if it is an inflatable mattress-type mat, is to select the flooron which we are going to sleep very well . Eliminate possible twigs, sticks, stones or skewers that could pierce it.
- Avoid putting the inflatable mat on the ground directly, better use an old blanket, a mat or jarapa to cushion.
- Inflate the mat inside the tent or in the place where you are going to place it to prevent it from rubbing on the ground,with a stone or the surrounding plants.
- Check the clothing items before laying down on the mat and avoid buckles, zippers and any metallic or sharp objects that could tear or puncture it.
- If you put the backpack in the tent or sleep near it, check it first for sticksor sticks that could puncture the inflatable mattress.
If, even taking care and following these tips, you are unlucky enough to puncture your inflatable mat, don’t worry, we will teach you how to repair it in any situation.
How to find where the air is leaking
To begin, you must locate the puncture or the pore, although we anticipate that finding a pore is much more difficult than a puncture. These little holes are so small that hardly any air escapes, in fact, they can make your inflatable mat last almost all night with air, but in the morning you will practically get up on the ground.
So, to find out where both a mat and any of your pool inflatables lose air, it must be well inflated. It is even good to fold it to make more pressure and force the air out through the tiny hole.
If the hole is large and leaks a lot of air, it can be easy to find it by putting your ear or lips close to the mat to feel or hear where the air is coming out. Otherwise, we will need to use soap and water to find the puncture.
To do this, wet a cloth with a mixture of soap and water and act as if you were going to clean the mat in areas. Do this in one area first and look closely for bubbles that will form on the puncture as air passes through the soapy water.
In case of not having luck with this method either, we will have to submerge the inflatable mat. The procedure is the same, inflate the mat and fold it before submerging it to look for the puncture. The formation of bubbles will tell us where the air is coming out. This method is foolproof, as long as you can completely submerge it.
When you have located the puncture or the pore, so as not to lose sight of it, we advise you to mark it with a pen, marker, tape or tape. And remember to dry the mat or pool inflatables well after getting them wet. Now is the time to proceed with the puncture repair.
Repairing an inflatable mat
To begin fixing the puncture, the air mattress must be as dry and clean as possible, and it must also be deflated. Then, you can choose several ways to repair it:
- With resin. If you don’t have anything to repair punctures, and it’s not very big, you can cover it with a drop of resin and a piece of cloth on top so that no resin gets dirty.
- With duct tape or American. If you don’t have anything else, put a strip of duct tape or duct tape over the puncture. It usually works, but better if you put a little resin or some glue that is not corrosive to better fix the tape.
- Bike inner tube repair kit. The foresighted or those who have already suffered a puncture, it is likely that they will not go out without an inner tube repair kit, so you can use it to fix the puncture of the inflatable mattress. The procedure is the same as with the air chamber: clean the area, put the vulcanizer on, wait the minutes indicated by the manufacturer and stick the patch by pressing with your fingers. Make special emphasis on the edges of the patch so that it does not peel off.
- Specific repair set. When purchasing an inflatable mat it usually comes with a specific repair kit. It usually consists of glue and a piece of cloth similar or equal to the one on the mat. In this case, it is best to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Finally, before storing your pool inflatables and mats you should let them dry, so open the spout and let it air out. Do not leave it in direct sun if it is very strong, and if you have to keep it wet because it rains or you are in a hurry, dry it at another time that same day.