Jumping on a trampoline on a warm summer day is a way for the whole family to get wholesome entertainment. Hours of fun jumping up and down the trampoline is a fun, whole-body workout.
Some of these trampolines are sunken to the ground, while others are placed above the ground, people make their choice of how they install their trampoline based on certain factors, and one of these factors is safety.
Each of these ways of installing a trampoline has its pros and cons. Today, we will look at the types of trampoline installations that there are and the problems associated with them.
Is A Sunken Trampoline Safer?
Many people resort to installing a sunken trampoline in their yard. They believe it is the safest thing to do because they do not use stairs that children can fall from.
Even if they mistakenly fall while jumping, the height they fall to is not high because the trampoline is at ground level.
These are some of the safety nets that sunken trampoline provides. However, trampolines have many other safety concerns, and many of them cannot be taken care of by installing a sunken unit.
Some of the safety issues with trampolines include: kids’ fingers can get trapped in the trampoline springs, kids can jump and accidentally fall away from the trampoline, they can also get so close to the edge of the trampoline, and their hands or feet can get trapped.
These safety risks are common for both sunken and above-ground trampolines; however, sunken trampolines are inherently safer than above-ground trampolines.
Therefore, it is very important to imbibe safety guidelines that will reduce the risk of danger as you and your kids jump on the trampoline; after all, all trampolines, by their nature, can pose some risk to jumpers.
Sunken Trampoline Problems
There are a few issues you will encounter with both installing and using an in-ground or sunken trampoline, and they include:
1. High Installation Cost
There are lots of costs that you will incur if you are to install a sunken trampoline which you will not have to pay for an above-ground trampoline.
These are hole digging, drainage preparation, reinforced wall building, and uneven surface leveling, which do not come so cheap.
2. Installation Time
Not only will you pay more for installing a sunken trampoline, but you will also have to wait for long before it can be installed. Just the digging of the hole alone is something that will take some time
3. Ventilation Clearance
The reason why trampolines bounce so well is because of airflow; with a sunken trampoline, there is limited space for air to circulate, and this is why you bounce more in an above-ground trampoline
4. Drainage
The issue of stagnant water is a major challenge with sunken trampoline poses; many people dig holes to drain the under area of the trampoline.
5. Portability:
An in-ground trampoline cannot be easily relocated to a new place; in fact, it will cost you more time, energy, and money to relocate a sunken trampoline just as it cost you to install it.
6. Yard Rearranging:
With a sunken trampoline, the setting of your yard is completely distorted, and if you have visitors coming to your yard, the trampoline will affect how much space is left.
7. Soil Strength:
You cannot put a trampoline in weak soil because the soil might crumble abruptly and lead to unforeseeable damages and accidents.
8. Hole Size:
The hole you dig to install the trampoline can constitute a tripping hazard for kids and adults who might get injured. When people use the trampoline, they might fall and become injured, two they can even trip over the hole while just walking in the yard.
9. Unauthorized Access:
Because of how low sunken trampolines are, anyone or anything can gain access into the unit, from toddlers to even your pets and the not-so-pleasant animals like snakes.
10. Growing Plants In The Hole:
Another problem with a sunken trampoline is that plants usually grow in the hole, and they need to be cut or removed because the plants can reach in the trampoline frame, and you don’t want that.
Do sunken trampolines need a net?
Yes, sunken trampolines need nets because some very good jumpers can jump up to 6 feet into the air, and if they miss the mat by mistake, the fall will be very painful; hence all trampolines need nets to cushion this kind of fall.
How Do You Keep a Sunken Trampoline From Filling With Water?
To keep a sunken trampoline from filling with water, you can proactively install a drainage system before installing the trampoline.
You could also build a soakaway at the bottom of the hole where the water will drain away. Another option is to insert a submersible pump into the bottom of the hole, which is connected to permanent to electrical feed.
If drainage is another thought, you can use a surface drainage pump to pump the water out of the trampoline when necessary.
Are In-ground Trampolines a Good Idea?
Suppose your major concern about your kids jumping on the trampoline is safety.
In that case, an in-ground trampoline is a good idea for you because it reduces the risk your kids can be subjected to as they jump and down in the trampoline significantly.
However, the cost of installing this in-ground trampoline is a little on the high side, but it is worth it.
Can You Sink a Normal Trampoline in the Ground?
You can sink a normal trampoline in the ground, but we will not advise you to because of the cost both in terms of cash and effort.
It might sound easy to convert your above-ground trampoline into a sunken trampoline. Still, a lot of work and skills go into uninstalling your above-ground trampoline and then reinstalling them in-ground.
Your best bet is to either leave the above-ground trampoline as it is or install a new one in-ground.
Is it Better to Sink a Trampoline?
If safety is the foremost thing on your mind when you are thinking of a trampoline, then sinking a trampoline is better for you because sunken models are a lot safer than those above ground. However, this benefit comes at the cost of money, skill, and time.
Asides from the safety that in-ground trampolines provide, they may also look very beautiful in the yard because they blend beautifully onto the scenery, especially if they are fixed properly by experts.
Which is Better Inground or Above Ground Trampoline?
In-ground trampoline Vs. Above ground trampoline is a raging battle amongst many people who favor either type of trampoline.
However, it is the basis on which you can decide which you think is better because, for us, non of them is better than the other.
1. Cost
In-ground trampolines are more expensive than above-ground trampolines because of the extra cost that is curred in the installation process, including digging the hole, preparing the hole, retaining the walls, and stuff like that. The cost is quite enormous, and this is one of the snag within-group trampolines
2. Installation:
Above ground takes just a few hours to be installed, but this is not the case with a sunken trampoline which can take days to install; in fact, the digging and excavation of the soil is a big work on it that can take hours if not days, to say nothing of retaining the trampoline wall and other such processes.
3. Bounce
The above-ground trampoline provides a better jumping experience for jumpers because you get more bounce from them due to the proper airflow around the unit. Sunken trampolines do not have the same kind of airflow, and do they have less bounce.
4. Movability
Above ground are portable and can be easily moved to a new location with little stress and cost; this is not the case with a sunken trampoline that is almost immovable when fixed. Secondly, the stress and cost of uninstalling it and installing it are big.
5. Safety
The sunken trampoline is safer than its above-ground counterpart because some of the accident-prone zones in the above-ground trampoline are the springs, metal frame, and falling on the ground; these issues you don’t encounter with sunken trampoline.
The accidents that happen when kids get under the trampoline and another bounces on it, and hence the kid under the trampoline gets hurt are avoided with in-ground trampoline.
6. Aesthetic Beauty
Sunken trampolines look more appealing than the above-ground models, and they blend very well with your yard.
This is because they are flushed to the ground, and they don’t look just like a play place for children like the above-ground trampoline blatantly looks.
Why Do People Put their Trampolines in the Ground?
There are several reasons why people put their trampoline in the ground, and some of them include:
1. They are safer to use
This is the most important reason many people go for the in-ground trampoline. For starters, these trampolines are level with the ground, and hence kids don’t need a ladder to climb in, so the issues that can arise from climbing onto the trampoline is removed already
2. They are very durable
Most in-ground trampolines are more durable than above-ground ones; for one, the metal frame of the in-ground trampoline is hidden and can be galvanized against rust.
3. They look good: flush to the ground trampoline is a beauty to behold, and that is one of the reasons people install them because they blend into your yard, unlike dome above ground trampoline that sticks out like a sore thumb.
4. Easy entry and exit: People love the in-ground trampoline because it does not require a ladder to enter or exit. Hence, very young kids can freely enter and leave the trampoline as easily.
Factors To Consider Before You Sink A Trampoline Into The Ground
Multiple factors work together to determine if an in-ground trampoline will be best for you, and they include:
1. The Trampoline Size
The size of your yard determines the trampoline size you will install; you do not want a unit that is too tiny that people can not enjoy jumping there together, and if your trampoline is too big, it can take up the whole place that you might not have space for any other thing.
2. The Trampoline Shape
The shape of your trampoline will determine the shape of the hole you dig, and the shape should blend with the whole architectural setting of your home.
For instance, a square or rectangular trampoline will fit in a modern home with futuristic features. The color should not be bright to make it visible from anywhere around the yard.
3. Size of Hole
The hole of an in-ground trampoline is a very important element in determining how safe your in-ground trampoline is.
Too deep a hole will mean the trampoline sink into the ground, which means water, dirt, and debris will generally collect on the trampoline.
If the hole is not deep enough, it will cause the surface of the trampoline to hit the subsurface of the ground as kids jump, which can lead to serious injuries.
4. Drainage
This is a major issue with the in-ground trampoline, and proper drainage should be put in place before installing the trampoline.
Before or after installing the trampoline, you can use different options, from the submersible pump to surface pumps, soakaways, and the likes.
5. Avoid Edge Collapse
This is a very important consideration when fixing an in-ground trampoline. When the edges of your trampoline holes are not properly, they may collapse as people jump on them; hence the edges of the hole should be reinforced to help them maintain their integrity even if a heavy jumper jumps on the trampoline.
Conclusion
Sunken trampolines, which are also known as in-ground trampolines, are becoming popular because they are believed to be very safe, and they are. However, installation time and cost are quite high, but it is well worth it.
There are certain problems that sunken trampolines pose, from drainage issues to ventilation issues. All these problems should be sorted out in the project’s planning phase when it is easier to fix.
But by and large, trampolines are great for kids and even adults because it helps them keep fit.
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We trust this article helped you understand Sunken Trampoline Problems. You may also want to check out How Much Weight Can A Trampoline Hold.
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