Lid Losing Air or Pump Not WorkingUpdated 2 hours ago
Your lid is inflated, just like your tub, so it can lose air for the same reasons: a valve that isn’t closed, a small puncture, or a weak point at a seam or buckle. Most of the time it’s the valve, and it takes two minutes to check. Try this troubleshooting out.
What’s normal
- The lid feels a little softer in the morning. Air contracts as the temperature drops overnight. A few pumps bring it back.
- The pump gets harder to push as the lid fills. That resistance is the air pressure building up, and it means the pump is working.
If the lid holds its shape over a few days with the odd top-up, there’s nothing to fix.
Step 1: Check the valve
- Look at the lid valve. After inflating, it should be popped out (closed).
- If it’s pressed in, the valve is open, and air will escape. Press and twist it so it pops out.
- Re-inflate and check again after a few hours.
Step 2: Find where the air is escaping
- Inflate the lid until it’s firm. Don’t over-inflate it.
- Mix a little dish soap with water in a spray bottle.
- Spray it over the valve, then the seams, then the buckle points, then the flat panels.
- Watch for a steady stream of small bubbles. That’s your leak.
- Mark the spot with a pencil, circling well outside it so you can still see it once the lid is deflated.
Step 3: Fix it, depending on where it is
| Where the leak is | What to do |
|---|---|
| The valve | Tighten the valve insert with the valve spanner supplied with your tub, then re-test with soapy water. |
| A small hole on a flat panel | Patch it with your repair kit. See [Patching an Air Leak with Your Repair Kit]. |
| A seam or buckle point | Don’t patch it. The repair kit isn’t designed for seams or buckles. Contact us, and if your tub is within warranty, we’ll replace the lid. |
If the pump isn’t working
- Check the connection. Push the pump hose fully onto the valve adapter, and make sure the adapter is firmly in the valve.
- Check the valve is closed (popped out) before you start pumping. If it’s open, air escapes as fast as you pump it in.
- Pump steadily, with full strokes.
- Watch the gauge. If the gauge doesn’t move at all, or the pump doesn’t push any air out of the hose, the pump or gauge may be faulty.
Please don’t
- Use an air compressor or electric pump. They over-inflate quickly, and over-inflation damage isn’t covered by warranty.
- Patch over a seam or buckle. It won’t hold, and it can make a warranty assessment harder.
- Leave the lid inflated in direct sun on a hot day without letting a little air out. Heat expands the air inside.
When to contact us
If the leak is at a seam or buckle, a patch doesn’t hold, or the pump or gauge doesn’t work. Send us:
- your order number and tub model
- a short video of the soapy-water test showing the bubbles, or of you pumping with the gauge in view
- how quickly it’s losing air (for example, “flat within 12 hours”).