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        Frequently asked questions

Q:  Can I use a bounce house in the rain?

A:  There are several serious issues that arise when rain or water is introduced with inflatable use.  First and foremost are the safety considerations.  When an inflatable unit gets wet, the vinyl becomes extremely slippery, almost like ice and is very dangerous.  Also the blowers used to inflate the units are powered by electricity.  Water and electricity is never a good combination.  These two items alone is reason enough to avoid use in or around water.  

We encounter other concerns when inflatables become wet.  Inflatables when wet, must be re-set and dried off site immediately at our warehouse.  The drying process takes hours to ensure the unit is completely dry inside and out, so mold and mildew does not become a factor.  See our weather policy below for more details on weather related issues.

Q.  What is your weather and cancellation policy? 

A:  ***As with any major outdoor event, it is always wise to make contingency plans, in case the weather does not cooperate and we need to cancel all or portions of your rental.***

 WEATHER RELATED ISSUES:  BREW CITY BOUNCE, LLC closely monitors National Weather Service forecasts and radar updates prior to your rental taking place.  BREW CITY BOUNCE, LLC reserves the right to cancel your reservations and return your deposit, if it appears weather conditions will pose risk to the equipment / units or to the safety of persons. (i.e. rain, mud, high wind, extreme cold of less than 45 degrees and/or thunder/lightening. 

If this is the case, a representative will contact and inform the renter of the cancellation via the provided phone numbers.  Please ensure we are able to contact you in at one of the numbers you provided 1-3 hours prior to your rental period, as we will not be responsible for missed calls and/or notifications not being made.

If it is raining or it is expected to rain on the day of your rental, but conditions are expected to improve by your rental period, you will be contacted by phone about 1-3 hours prior to delivery.  At this time, you will be asked if you wish to go forward with the agreement or cancel.  If you cancel, the deposit or any payments made will be returned in the form of a check and mailed to the renter's address on file within 10 days. If you later cancel upon delivery, after agreeing to go forward with the rental over the phone, you will forfeit a portion of your deposit (the listed delivery charge), as an unnecessary trip charge.

If the equipment / units are in use and threatening weather conditions develop, we will attempt to notify you by phone of the potential weather situation.  If possible, we will make efforts to pick up the equipment / units prior to the threatening weather arriving or provide you instruction to protect the safety of the users and equipment.  When contacted by phone prior to the rental and advised of potential weather events that may occur and you decided to continue with the rental, you will be responsible for an excessive cleaning charge should an inflatable unit be wet upon pick up.  When units are wet, they must be re-set off-site at a later time for proper drying and cleaning.  The charge for us having to dry bounces off-site due to rain or having been wet with water is $50 and $125 for obstacle / combo units.  If we fail to advise you of the potential for weather related problems during your rental, you will not be responsible for the drying charge.  However, once this agreement is executed and monies paid, there is no refund for any other reason.

WIND: If sustained wind speed is predicted or actually exceeds 15 MPH and/or wind gusts are in excess of 25 MPH, INFLATABLE UNITS SHOULD NOT BE USED!  If we determine these wind conditions to be present on the day of your rental, we will cancel the reservation for safety reasons.  You will be entitled to a full refund of monies deposited, in accordance with our weather related refund policy.  YOU are ultimately responsible for the safety of the children--DO NOT TAKE ANY CHANCES!!

ALL OTHER CANCELLATIONS:  General cancellations, not associated with weather related cancellations, require a 14 day advance written notice by you or the deposit is forfeited, unless the date cancelled can be rescheduled with another event.  Brew City Bounce, LLC reserves the right to cancel your event in writing when at least 30 days in advance of your date.   You will be entitled to a full refund of all monies on deposit with us in the event we cancel. 

 Q:  Is it safe for young children to use your inflatable units?

A:  Children under age 3 are highly discouraged from using inflatable devices, as motor skills are not fully developed and they lack the coordination necessary to safely use the inflatable units. Additionally, users with mental or physical impairment should not be allowed to use inflatable devices.  We do offer a specially designed unit for ages 18 months through 5 years of age (Toddler mini-jump and ball pond).  Some of our larger units (our 2 in 1 combo and our slide, for example) should be reserved for children over age 6.  

Q:  How many people can safely be in an inflatable at one time?   

A:  The number of participants varies greatly unit to unit, as do weight limits.  We will provide detailed information for each unit at delivery.  Here is the manufacturers recommendation for our smallest bounce (13'X13' castle bounces), based on persons of average height/weights.    
-Children 3-4 years of age: No more than 8 at a time.
-Children 5-8 years of age: No more than 5 to 6 at a time.
-Children 9-12 years of age: No more than 3 to 4 at a time.
-Teenagers to adult: No more than 2 at a time.

Q: Can I pick up my inflatable bounce house or dunk tank?  

A:  Our insurer requires us to set-up and inspect each inflatable unit and dunk tank before use, therefore we do not allow customers to pick up or drop off our inflatables or dunk tanks.  In addition, we feel it is much safer for the user, if the units are inspected for safety and explained at the use site by someone trained to setup these items and to recognize potential problems.  

Q:  What can I pick up at your warehouse?

A:  Customers can pickup and drop off of certain rental items, such as games and concession equipment, in order to save on delivery charges.  We will still deliver and setup all our rental items if you desire! * a nominal delivery charge applies

A:  How much do you charge for delivery? 

A:  Click here for information on delivery rates and policy.

Q:  Can you set up a bounce house indoors?  

A:  Yes!  Below are a list of considerations for doing an indoor rental;

Q:  When do you drop off the bounce and will you come get the bounce?  

A:  You are guaranteed at least 8 hrs with our private use rentals.  We will arrive for setup sometime between 8:00 AM and 11:00 AM.  We will then return between 7:00 PM and 10:00 PM to remove the inflatable.  If you require more specific times, please let us know.  We will attempt to accommodate your time requests.  Corporate, attended or public use rentals are handled differently, please call or email us to inquire or to receive a price quote.  

Q: How long does it take to set up and take down a bounce house?

A:  Set up time is typically about 20-25 minutes depending on the accessibility to the setup location for bounces.  We try to arrive about 30 minutes prior to your scheduled start time, except for the 2 in 1 combo and the 5 in 1.  Setup time for these units is about one hour or more. 

Take down takes a bit longer, as sanitizing and inspections are done with our units.  Take down averages about 35-45 minutes for a standard bounce and up to 2 hours for the 2 in 1 combo and the 5 in 1 or when multiple items are rented.

Q:  Do you require a deposit to reserve a bounce house or dunk tank?

A:  Yes.  We require $50 down to reserve your date for all bookings of less than $500.  If your total is greater than $500, then we require 50% of the total booking as a deposit.  This deposit must be paid via credit card (Visa, Discover or Mastercard).  Full payment will be required before setup with either cash, postal money order, Visa, Discover or Mastercard credit card.   For corporate and business customers, we handle these accounts in a different manner.  Please call or email us for details regarding business or corporate event rentals.   

        

(Typically these deposits are non-refundable unless the rental is cancelled due to weather conditions, is cancelled by you at least 14 days prior to your scheduled date or cancelled by us at least 1 month in advance of your date)  

**Personal checks will not be accepted. 

Q:  What method of payment do you accept?  

A:   Visa or Mastercard credit cards for reservations.  The balance due can be paid via cash, Postal money order or credit by one of the below credit cards on the rental date.

                                                                                

Q:  What size area is required to accommodate a bounce house?

A:    We require an unobstructed walk or other solid pathway of about 4 feet wide with no stairs or other obstacles to the setup area.  The pathway should be without steep inclines or hills.  All inflatable sizes and descriptions are listed on this site.  Each unit varies considerably in size and weight.   

Q.  What types of surfaces will you setup on? 

A. We require a clean and relatively level grass, concrete, blacktop, smooth and finished wood floors (i.e. Pergo, hardwood or gym floor), smooth/finished stone floors (i.e. marble floor) or a carpeted area.  For hard surface setups, we highly recommend some sort of cushioning for the entry/exit points.  We do rent gym mats for the entry/exit points for $15 per unit.  

We will NOT setup on dirt, rock, gravel or sand!

Q:  How do you secure inflatables so they don't move or blow away?

A:  It is normal for inflatables to move several inches, due to use or by wind.  In order to stop further movement our inflatable units are secured by spikes driven into the ground or sandbags.  The spikes may penetrate to a depth of up to 18 inches.  Some potential problematic considerations are underground sprinklers, underground TV and telephone cables.  Although most electric, gas and water lines are buried below 18 inches in depth, we STRONGLY recommend the renter contact Diggers Hotline toll-free at 1-800-242-8511, in Milwaukee or at 414-259-1181.  For the 262 area code:  262-782-7104.  You may also notify Digger’s Hotline via the internet at www.diggershotline.com.  Digger’s Hotline is a free service that will mark important utilities to protect our staff and to avoid potential outages in your utility services.  Digger’s Hotline recommends calling at least 3 working days, but no more than 30 days in advance of your rental date.  For hard surface setups or for park applications, we use heavy sandbags to secure our units.

Q:  What prep should I do before the inflatable rental arrives?

A:  All animals must be tied or caged before, during and after the event.  Turn off any automatic sprinklers, pick up all animal feces and remove any sharp objects in the desired set up area.  Also look up to ensure there are not tree branches, power lines or other obstructions which may become a hazard.

Q:  Do you rent concession equipment, games or other supplies?

A:  We rent bubble machines, helium tanks, cotton candy machines, popcorn machines, nacho cheese dispensers and sno cone machines.  Operators for concession equipment are not provided.  Operators of concession equipment should be a responsible adult.  Supplies for these items, as well as other party supplies are offered for sale by us as well.  We have several fun games that are perfect for private parties or public events.  Please click the links for bubble machines, helium tanks, concessions or games for information on our current specials and offerings.    

Q:  Can I have a bounce house at a park or another facility?  What do they require?  Do the parks have electricity?

A:  Yes! Most parks allow inflatables, however it is your responsibility to contact the particular park you wish to have us set up at for specific requirements they may have.    

In general, we know all parks require the unit to have insurance, which we have, however some individual parks may require you to provide proof of insurance or may require us to add the park as an "additional insured" party to our policy.  If they wish to have proof of insurance, we will provide this to the requestor at no charge.  If they require them to be added as an "additional insured" party to our policy, our insurer charges us an additional $25 fee + a $15 administrative fee, which will need to be added to your cost. 

It is your responsibility to check on the specific requirements for the park you wish to use.  Failure for you to do so may result in having your permit revoked and will result in loss of use of our equipment.  There is NO refund if we are directed to remove or shut down operations prematurely.

Most of our applications use spikes to secure the unit to the ground, however, we will use sandbags in a park setting.  Keep in mind, most parks do not have electrical outlets.  Power will be required to run the unit's blower(s).  It is your responsibility to insure the shelter or picnic area you rent has electric power.  If you do require a power generator, we rent generators for a nominal charge.   

Q:  How far from an electrical outlet can the unit be? 

A:  In order to be in compliance with electrical code and insurance requirements, we will NOT setup units where the power cord run exceeds 75 feet from an electrical outlet.   If you are beyond 75 feet from power, you will need to provide an electric generator or rent a power generator from us.    

Q:  What happens if a piece of equipment is broken, lost or misplaced?

A:  Replacement or repair charges will be assessed on any equipment, which was lost or damaged by the customer due to neglect or due to not following the “Rules of Use", as outlined in the agreement and/or on the "safety instruction sheets” provided after setup.  Upon signing the agreement and when the unit is in your possession, you are responsible for the whereabouts, overall safety of participants and complete safe return of all equipment, which is rented.

Q:  Do you provide the water for the dunk tank?  How much water do we need?  How do we fill our Dunk Tank?

A:  Our dunk tank holds 500 gallons of water.  In order to fill the tank, you will need to provide the water and hose.  There are several ways to fill the tank.  Using a typical water hose and using City of Milwaukee water pressure, the tank should be filled in about 40-50 minutes.  This will vary according to pressure and the source of the water i.e. well water.  The tank may also be filled from a source such as from a fire truck or fire hydrant.  This will fill your tank in about 3-4 minutes.  **Our experience with either of these methods has been poor at best.  The water used has typically been sitting in a tank or in pipes for some time, which produces a heavy rust water discoloration.  This in turn will cause staining of clothing, strong and unpleasant odors, as well as unsightly floating debris.  These methods should be considered as a last resort.

 

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