ater slides that are more than a decade old require more careful examination than do newer slides, says Scott Deisley, director of sales and marketing at NBGS International, New Braunfels, Texas.
“I always walk a little slower around older slides,” Deisley says. “For example, I’ll actually go along the slide and feel the joint seams rather than just give them a visual inspection.”
Havern Davis believes older slides warrant this attention. “If I owned a slide that was 10 to 15 years old, I’d want to have a manufacturer or slide safety expert come in and take a close look at it,” says Davis, general manager of Morning Star Manufacturing Inc., Crump, Tenn. “I’d have the slide inspected for porosity and tensile strength. I’d want [the manufacturer] to look at the joints and the supports. Then I’d have the inspector sign off on this.”
This is crucial because many older slides were manufactured by companies that no longer exist, says Davis. “If your manufacturer is not in business, you should have your slide checked immediately because there’s probably a reason the company is no longer around. In the past, manufacturers used thinner, poorer quality resins, or used fillers in the fiberglass, all of which can negatively affect the slide’s safety,” he says.
Davis advises owners to check their slides for loss of flexibility: “Grab the sides of the slide and move them. If you hear a lot of groaning and popping and cracking, then you need to have it checked.”
Manufacturers suggest that operators of older slides keep their eyes open for the following:
• Discoloration of the gel coat, which indicates wear.
• Improper fit of the entrance and the exit spouts.
• Damage to the tops of enclosed slides from harmful UV rays. Any cracks or soft spots on the top of a slide could affect its structural integrity.
• Frequent repair of the gel-coat surface is a signal that the contact between the gel coat and the fiberglass is breaking down, says Mark Witt, product manager at Miracle Recreation Co., Monette, Mo. “If you can’t keep a good, smooth finish on the flume for an extended period of time, if there’s discoloration of the flume ( specifically at the waterline area) or if, in general, you feel that you’re spending more time than necessary maintaining the slide, you should call your rep and ask for his professional opinion,” Witt says.
