Tips for AC Repair and Maintenance

How To Repair An Air Mattress?

Buy a patch kit. Almost every outdoor store will have these in the camping section. They are small, cheap sets that contain glue, sandpaper, and patches for tents, bike tires, and air mattresses. If you are in a pinch and the hole is small, a tire patch made for cycling should work fine.

• Some companies have dedicated air mattress repair kits that you can find online, such as the Thermarest Repair Kit, Tear-Aid, and the Sevylor Repair Patch.
• Make sure that the patch kit works on plastic or vinyl.

Completely deflate the mattress. You don’t want any air getting under your patch and ruining the glue, so let all the air out the mattress before continuing.

Sand away any soft felt near your hole. If your hole is on the top side of the mattress you’ll need to remove the soft covering to make the patch stick. Take a wire brush or some sandpaper and lightly remove the felt coating until you only have plastic surrounding your leak.

• Some mattress makers refer to this soft coating as “flocking.”

Clean and dry the area around your leak. Using soapy water or a little isopropyl alcohol, clean off the leaky area so that there is no dust, dirt, or debris surrounding the hole. Dry it completely before continuing.

Cut out a patch roughly one and a half times bigger than your hole. You want ample room to cover the leak, so cut your patch so it fits over the hole with a centimeter or more of the patch around every side. If your patches are pre-cut, use one that offers 1-2 centimeters of space around the hole itself.

Apply the patch according to the manufacturer’s directions. All patches function in one of two ways: they are simply applied like stickers, or you must apply special glue and then attach the patch. Either way, follow the instructions and apply your patch smoothly. Don’t remove it to get it “perfect.” As long as it covers the leak entirely it will work, and taking it off and reapplying it will make it less sticky.

Press down on the patch with firm, even pressure. Once your patch is on, apply pressure to it for 30 seconds or more to make sure it is firmly attached. Use the heel of your hand to press down on the patch, or use a rolling pin to strongly flatten the patch against the mattress.

Let the glue dry on the patch for 2-3 hours. It can help to lay a heavy, flat object on top of the patch to keep the pressure on it. Do not try to inflate your mattress until the glue is dry.

Inflate the mattress and check for leaks. Place your ear right next to the patch and listen for any escaping air. If no one needs it to sleep, leave the mattress inflated overnight and return in the morning to make sure no more air is escaping.