Trampoline set-up in cold?

dent8 · Dec 8, 2005

Why is this a rural/tractor question? 'Cause most of you have a lot more cold experience than me! We are thinking of having a trampoline shipped to a neighbor that does casual labor and having him set it up for us at the property in southern OR, then have him Santa it up a bit. We'll arrive between Christmas and New year. Temps are now in the 30s and it will get a bit colder. Is it dumb to have it out in the weather? Will the fabric be workable at those temperatures? Do you know? Why do you know? /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
Tractor content: It will be easier moving the old playground structures that are piled 12' high in my pick-up with a tractor than it was with 4 guys.
Thanks,
Dennis

ByronBob · Dec 8, 2005

Here in WNY with the brutal winds and 100+ inches of snow you have to take them apart. Have no idea about Oregon. But if it's just rain and cold I can't see any reason to not put it together.

EddieWalker · Dec 8, 2005

Have you ever watched Americas Funniest Home Videos?

If you get the trampoline, start filming, you'll never win the prize money, but the rest of the world will enjoy laughing at you. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Eddie

dent8 · Dec 9, 2005

Thanks gentlemen, think I can "git her done" since all this one will take is an internet connection.
Cheers,
Dennis

Bird · Dec 9, 2005

I've heard that your homeowners insurance premiums go up considerably if you have a trampoline on the premises. I'm guessing it's true since that was one of the questions I saw recently on an application for insurance.

jwstewar · Dec 9, 2005

I wouldn't put it up in the cold. At least with ours the fabric seems to get very stiff when it is cold. I'm almost afraid of it breaking. I usually take it down in the fall and put it up in the spring. Once I take it down and it starts getting cold, I don't touch it or move it. I also try to not make any real hard bends in it when I fold it up and don't lay anything on it that could compress it and force a hard bend. Maybe that is just me being overly cautious though....

BTW, we have the side panels on ours that won't allow the kids to fall off. I do replace the rope that "ties" the side panels to the mat itself though. As the first year the rope rotted. I bought a better rope when I replaced it, but I still check it real well before I put it back up.

1bush2hog · Dec 9, 2005

Here in GA temps aren't as cold as elsewhere, but I put a trampoline together on Christmas eve and temps were in the teens.

Watch out for those springs that hold the fabric to the frame - they can be a little tricky. It would be better if you have some help attaching the last few springs - especially if it is cold, unless you are related to the Hulk /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Our trampoline stayed out year round, uncovered and never had a weather related problem with the fabric over 4-5 years.

Make sure you also get a good pad to cover all those springs.

mathey · Dec 9, 2005

Many, if not most, insurance companies will NOT insure you if you have a trampoline, sides or not...it's worth checking into...

Phils · Dec 9, 2005

True what Mathey says. I am an agent for few different companies. Some will cancel the policy if their inspector sees a trampoline. Others don't even ask (and don't ask about dogs either). The companies that ask usually have no problem if the trampoline is in a fenced backyard. Their concern is some uninvited neighborhood kid getting hurt and the parents filing a lawsuit. Comes under the "attractive nuisance" provision. I've had companies rescind cancellations as long as the customer leaned the trampoline up against the house when not in use.

Check with your company for their "rules" and find a way to comply.

Phil

dent8 · Dec 9, 2005

Good info, thank you all.
Dennis

KubotaSteve · Dec 9, 2005

A couple of things since I have been around trampolines for over 20 years. When I just became a teenager dad bought us a trampoline (first one around our area and he paid like $750 for it and I think it was 12 foot with no net). We had it for quite a while and then the material holding the hooks for the springs rotted and we had a professional sew all the hooks on with new material. It lasted for a while but when they get old it becomes very danergous with springs flying off.
I bought my kids one and huricane isabel through it accross the road and destroyed it. After buying the 2nd one I anchored it to the ground using house trailer tie downs. It has worked very well.
As far as the insurance, we were dropped because we had a pool and a trampoline. We then went with Erie and when my wife told him about the pool and trampoline, he simply asked how many houses could we see from ours and the answer was 2. He said we were fine, but they were tightening up on people who had lived in area of high concentration of houses.
I leave mine up all year around and if we get 6 inches or more, I usually take a rubbermaid tub out to the trampoline to clean it off with. It's tough to throw the snow over the top of the netting so I have found filling the tub and dumping it out through the door is the easiest since taking down the net is a pain.
Good luck and be careful. They are great fun but can be dangerous as well.

dent8 · Dec 9, 2005

Thanks Kubotasteve, we can't see any neighbors, about 1/2 mile one way and 1/3 the other, one road in and out. I'll pass this to the insurance department, family compound thing, they can figure if it's a problem, I'm 'facilities maintainence' i.e. least mechanically inept.
cheers,
Dennis
Wow, so many great responses for such trivia, ya'll are great!

mathey · Dec 10, 2005

( we were dropped because we had a pool and a trampoline )

thats funny, we were told our pool was not an issue, but the trampoline, dobermans and atv's were...we ended up with a farm policy, which doesn't have nearly as many restrictions.

LBrown59 · Dec 13, 2005

Most insurers will cancel your policy if you have a Trampoline.

What would be even worse is if your house burned to the ground and they refused to pay the claim because you had a Trampoline.

If it were me I'd get rid of the blasted thing because it's just not worth it.

DUMBDOG · Dec 13, 2005

Please help me understand your statement, how can an insurance company refuse to pay for a house that has burned down because you have a trampoline?

A insurance policy is a contract and cannot be canceled by one party without due notice.

I do not see how they could refuse a claim without the proper notification.

KubotaSteve · Dec 14, 2005

That statement confuses me as well. Do you have a trampoline and did you deal with an insurance company concerning one? I have and mine is insured properly. Like I said before, insurance companies are more concerned with there is a higher concentration of kids around as all 10 to 20 kids want to get on at once and that is when people get injured. One person on a trampoline can get injured too, but it just isn't as likely to happen like when there are a bunch of kids around.

LBrown59 · Dec 14, 2005

( Please help me understand your statement, how can an insurance company refuse to pay for a house that has burned down because you have a trampoline?

1*An insurance policy is a contract and cannot be canceled by one party without due notice.

I do not see how they could refuse a claim without the proper notification. )
1*Because having a Trampoline could void the policy.

DUMBDOG · Dec 14, 2005

The only way having a trampoline would void the policy is if the language to that effect was orginally in the policy. Other than that there is not any way that I know of a insurance company could weasel out of paying for a house fire just because the homeowner owned a trampoline.

Unless this language was so stimulated in the policy the insurance company would still have to pay for the loss, unless advance notice was given to the policyholder.