BCD Servicing

Regular servicing and inspection is an important part of ensuring your BCD’s performance and reliability.  We recommend that your BCD is serviced annually by a qualified technician, ideally along with your regulator set.  Your BCD forms part of your life support equipment while underwater and is vital for maintaining your buoyancy, so it shouldn’t be neglected when it comes to servicing.

What happens during a service?

Your BCD inflator and dump valves will be stripped and cleaned.  Any serviceable parts such as o-rings will be replaced using the manufacturer’s service kit.  The inside of the BCD’s bladder will be thoroughly cleaned using an antibacterial disinfectant.  This prevents growth of harmful microbes and algae.  The outside of your BCD will also be cleaned, including the removal of any lint from the Velcro fastenings, and zips will be waxed if necessary.

Once reassembled your BCD will undergo both a positive and negative pressure test.  This allows us to check that it can maintain pressure while inflated as well as not gain any extra air when empty or partially inflated.

How long will servicing take?

We can service most BCDs in as little time as a couple of hours, so a 24 hour turnaround is not impossible under desperate circumstances. Generally, we can get your equipment back to you in a couple of days if necessary. However, during busy periods or if we need to order in any non-standard replacement parts the servicing time may be longer than this. In all cases outside of the exceptional we aim to service your equipment and have it ready for you to pick up within 7 working days. 

We recommend that you get your equipment serviced well in advance of when you need it for your next dive trip.  If you do need your equipment by a particular date, please advise us when you check it in and we will do our best to meet your requirements.