How to Patch an Air Bed
No one wants to get comfortable on an air bed only to wake up lying on the floor because of a leak in the mattress. Properly storing and caring for your air mattress will prevent this from happening. Sometimes, even with the best care, an air bed will need to be repaired. The causes of leaks are:
- Accidental puncture
- Improper storage
- Rocks and thorns on the ground
- Age
Leaks from improper storage and age may not be able to be repaired if the bed's material is in poor shape. Since patch kits for an air bed are inexpensive, try repairing it before shopping for a new one.
For accidental punctures and when you set up camp in the dark and miss a thorn or pointy rock, a patch kit is going to be your best friend. Sure, duct tape or glue may work temporarily, but it may cause more problems when you are unable to patch your air bed properly due to the residue from these things.
Patching an air bed is easy. Here are the steps:
- Identify the location of the leak and mark it with a marker or brightly colored piece of tape.
- Deflate the mattress.
- Clean the area around the puncture or slit in the mattress. Allow to completely dry.
- Cut a patch that is about ¾ to 1 inch larger that the area to be repaired.
- Apply adhesive to the area and wait until adhesive is tacky.
- Put patch over puncture or slit and smooth out removing any air bubbles.
- If it there is a chance that adhesive leaked inside the mattress, be sure the inside of the repair area isn’t laying flat against the other side. Hold apart until dry enough it won’t stick together.
- Test the mattress once patch is completely dried.
- In the event the first patch doesn’t work, don’t try to remove it. Cut a second patch that is ¾ to 1 inch larger than the original patch and repeat the steps to repair the air bed.
Have a patch kit stored with your air bed so that in case there is a leak, you will know where it is at and it will be handy. Be sure to replace your patch kit after you do a repair.
If your mattress is getting old or can’t be repaired then it will be time to think about shopping for a new one.
Tags: air bed patches, patch kit, patching air bed
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