Patching an Air Leak with Your Repair KitUpdated 18 days ago

If your tub is slowly losing air, it's almost always one of two things: a valve that isn't seated properly, or a small puncture. Both are fixable at home with the repair kit that came with your tub. Work through this guide in order and don't skip to patching.

Time: about 20–30 mins of hands-on work, plus curing time (12 hours for glue only, 24 hours for a patch).

Before you start: is it actually a leak?

A small pressure drop over 2–3 days is normal. Air contracts as the temperature falls overnight, so the tub can feel softer in the morning without anything being wrong. Top it up with a few pumps and see how it holds. Correct pressure is 10 psi.

If the tub is holding at 10 psi over several days with only minor top-ups, there's no leak to fix. If it's losing air noticeably faster than that, carry on to Step 1.

Step 1: Rule out the valve

The valve is the most common culprit, and it takes two minutes to check.

Mix a little dish soap with water in a spray bottle.
Spray around the valve.
Watch for bubbles forming.

If you see bubbles, the valve insert isn't screwed down tight. Tighten it with the valve spanner included with your tub, then re-test with the soapy water. If it's now sealed, you're done. Re-inflate to 10 psi and you're back in business. If there are no bubbles at the valve, move on to Step 2.

Valve check videos

Step 2: Find the leak

Inflate the tub to normal pressure (10 psi).
Spray the soapy water over the surface, working section by section. Check the seams first, then the flat panels.
Watch for a steady stream of small bubbles–that's your leak.
Mark the spot with a pencil or marker. Circle well outside the damage so you can still see your mark once the tub is deflated.

Take your time here. A slow leak produces small, slow bubbles, so it's worth going over each section carefully rather than sweeping across the whole tub at once.

Watch: Identifying air leaks

Step 3: Check before you patch

Before applying anything, look at what you've found. Stop and contact us first if the leak is:

On a seam
Near the valve housing
Larger than about 5 cm (2")

Otherwise, carry on to Step 4.

Step 4: What you'll need

In your repair kit (the cylinder container):

Adhesive
2 × PVC patches, these are oversized, so you'll trim them to suit

You'll need to supply:

Isopropyl or rubbing alcohol, plus a lint-free cloth
Sharp scissors, for a clean cut
A pencil or fine oil marker
A seam roller — or anything smooth and firm, like the back of a spoon
A spray bottle with soapy water
A flat weight — a heavy book works well

Step 5a: Punctures smaller than 3 mm (1/8")

No patch needed glue alone will seal it.

Fully deflate the tub and lay it flat.
Clean the area with alcohol and let it dry completely.
Apply a small drop of glue directly over the puncture.
Leave it to cure for 12 hours before re-inflating.
Re-inflate to 10 psi and re-test with soapy water.

Step 5b: Tears, splits, or anything larger than 3 mm

Deflate and dry. Fully deflate the tub, lay it flat on a clean surface, and make sure it's completely dry.
Trim the patch. Cut one of the supplied patches so it extends at least 2.5 cm (1") beyond the damage on every side. Round off the corners as square corners lift and peel over time.
Mark the position. Hold the patch over the damage and trace lightly around it with your pencil, so you know exactly where it's going.
Clean both surfaces. Wipe the tub surface and the underside of the patch with alcohol. Let both dry fully.
Apply the adhesive. Three thin coats to both the patch and the tub, waiting 5 minutes between each coat.
Place the patch. The adhesive grabs fast, so get the positioning right first go you won't get a second attempt.
Roll it down. Roll firmly from the centre outwards to push out air pockets and bed the edges down.
Weight and wait. Lay a flat weight over the patch and leave it for 24 hours before re-inflating.
Re-test. Re-inflate to 10 psi and spray the area with soapy water to confirm the seal.

A few things to avoid

Don't use an air compressor to re-inflate. Over-inflation damage isn't covered under warranty.
Don't rush the cure time. An under-cured patch will lift, and you'll be starting over.
Don't patch a damp surface. The adhesive won't bond properly.

Still losing air?

If the tub is still dropping pressure after the patch has fully cured, get in touch and we'll take it from there. It helps if you can include:

Your order number
Which model tub you have
A video of the area you patched
Roughly how much pressure you're losing, and over what timeframe

Tub Won't Stay Inflated

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