Bryon and Nicki Hein explain how party rentals work

Photo: Bryon and Nicki Hein

Bryon and Nicki Hein own and operate Party Favor Event Rentals, a company that rents out bounce houses, slides (water and dry), furniture and concession machines in Ohio, in the US. Their party equipment is great for kids’ birthday parties, end of school function or any event where people need entertaining activities to do!

Bryon and Nicki, what made you start up Party Favor Event Rentals?

After renting bounce houses and inflatable water slides for our kids we decided we wanted to explore the industry. We attended expos, safety courses and researched the industry for a year. With the help of our kids we picked out units and jumped right into our business adventure.

What sizes of bounce houses to you offer?

We have a few different sizes. Our classic bounce houses are 15’ L x 15’ W x 15’ H. For larger events we have obstacle courses that are 40’ L x 11’ W x 11 H’ or inflatable slides that are  35’ L x 15’ W x 18’ H.  Typical back yard parties can accommodate our bounce house slide combos and those are 15’ L x 29’ W x 15’ H.

You have an Advanced Inflatable Safety Operations Certification – what does this mean?

Advanced Inflatable Safety Operations Certification is a seal that indicates the operator has successfully passed the Advanced Inflatable Safety Operations Certification course.  This course is designed to provide operators with the knowledge, skills and abilities to safely operate moonwalks, mazes, combo units, obstacle courses and larger slides. AISOC is the hardest level to achieve and sets these advanced members at the top of our industry.

Is it ever unsafe to use your equipment?

Yes! The number one element that makes our equipment unsafe is weather. It is very dangerous to operate inflatables during high winds or lightning. We educate our customer how to tell if wind speeds are too high (20MPH or more) and what steps to take. When conditions become unsafe the units need to be evacuated and shut off. We stake down every unit with 18” stakes at each anchor point. If stakes can’t be used, we attach 100Lb sandbags at each anchor point.

How many kids can play in your bounce houses at a time?

This is a very common question and there are a few answers. Classic bounce houses can hold about 750Lbs. So depending on the age group and weight 4-8 people can jump at the same time. We tell our renters that they want groups that are jumping together to be similar in size and weight. Things can get dangerous when teenagers are jumping with toddlers. On the other hand, slides can only accommodate on person at a time.

Do you have any requirements regarding where you can set up?

Outdoor setups need to be on a flat surface free of sticks or rocks. Also, we must know if there are any sprinkler systems underground. If they have a sprinkler system, we can’t use stakes and need to use sandbags to anchor the unit. For indoor setups we need at least 16” ceiling clearance.

What is your most commonly rented item?

Our most commonly rented item would be our combo units. They seem to be popular with every age. Smaller kids enjoy the classic bounce houses and older kids seem to want slides. Corporate events or larger groups usually rent an obstacle course. We also find that we sell out of water units every weekend in July and August.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us!
You can follow up with Bryon and Nicki Hein at www.partyfavoreventrentals.com

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