If you are a diver and own your own set of scuba gear, it is crucial to know the importance of servicing it on time. Even though many divers are eager to purchase their own gear instead of renting them, they are not so keen on regular servicing. This can create unnecessary risks such as mid-dive gear failures. The key to avoiding dive gear failures and extending the longevity of your equipment is timely scuba diving equipment servicing. Diving equipment servicing is not a difficult task thanks to its availability as a service at dive centres. All you need to do is to take your scuba gear to a reliable dive shop of your choice and get them serviced professionally. Still have doubts about dive gear servicing? Read on to find out why, when, how, and from where you need to service your diving equipment.
Why Service Your Scuba Gear?
Safety is the first and perhaps the most important reason why you should regularly service your scuba gear. Your diving equipment keeps you alive underwater, therefore it must operate properly to keep you safe. If you read a few instances of dive accidents you will realize that often it’s a tiny issue that goes wrong which eventually sets off for a chain of much greater problems. Small defects with unserviced scuba equipment don’t typically result in catastrophic failure. However, regular maintenance is an easy method to completely avoid the risks.
Getting your equipment inspected regularly is a great way to support your local dive shop. Regular gear maintenance from devoted customers may significantly increase a dive shop’s revenue flow, so by bringing your gear in for inspections, you can ensure that your preferred dive shop will still be open the next time you need to purchase new gear.
Even while everyone adores brand-new dive gear, be aware that this isn’t necessarily the most sustainable choice for the planet. You’ll be able to keep your equipment for longer and require less equipment in the long run if you maintain it properly and adhere to a regular servicing schedule. This is a great way of saving your money as well as being environmentally friendly.
When to get your Scuba Diving Equipment Servicing Done?
You may be wondering how to determine when it’s time to send your kit for maintenance as you are now aware of the benefits of doing so. The first sign that your equipment needs maintenance is when the manufacturer’s suggested interval for inspection has passed. Depending on the manufacturer and the item, this may vary; for example, some equipment may need to be replaced after 100 dives, while other equipment may need to be replaced after a year. However, it’s crucial to keep in mind that these timelines are variable. To evaluate whether your equipment, particularly regulators, needs to be serviced more frequently, you must consider your personal diving habits.
Have you ever bought used diving equipment? If so, did you ensure that it was serviced before you proceeded to bring it back in? Although purchasing second hand equipment can be a fantastic way to save a few dollars, you should also account for the cost of having it maintained after you purchase it. Wear and tear indicators aren’t always evident or visible on the outside of scuba gear, so you never know how someone else has handled their gear.
10 Tips to Diving Equipment Servicing
If you are a novice, you might not have much knowledge about servicing your diving equipment. Here are 10 useful tips to consider when maintaining and servicing your dive gear in the right way.
1. How to store.
What is more useful than having your equipment close at hand? If your home does not have a diving-specific room, look for a small corner where you may store your gear. Don’t be afraid to use your creativity to maximize space. Purchase handy plastic boxes to store your preferred equipment. Some models can be kept on a shelf in the “DIY shelf” fashion. Prefer separate “dry” and “wet” storage. Shoe racks are great for drying dive gear afterward since they allow gloves, booties, masks, and regulators to drain and dry rapidly.
2. What are Hydrostatic test dates?
Always keep your scuba tank tests up-to-date and be alert whether you should get them re-tested any soon.
3. Scuba regulator servicing
It is not as expensive to have your regulator serviced annually as you might assume. According to some brands, you should service your regulator every two years. However, it is strongly advisable that you take into account the following factors when deciding when to bring your regulator to your local dive shop.
- If you dive between one and fifty times a year, which is usual for vacation divers, service your regulator annually.
- If you perform 50 to 100 dives annually and are someone that the scuba industry refers to as an “active diver,” you should service your regulator annually and should not wait two years.
- If you are in the 100+ range and identify yourself as a regular diver, the best is to get your scuba diving gear serviced twice a year.
4. Service your BCD
The BCD is crucial, just like any other component of your kit, and failure could force you to abandon your dive or endanger yourself. The inflator, the bladder, and the dump valves are the three main components of your BCD that you need to pay attention to when getting it serviced. Certain BCDs need care once a year, while others need it after each dive. You are in charge of making sure whether your BCD works properly and bringing it in for repair when necessary.
5. Clean your wetsuit
Your wetsuit is one of the items that need to be maintained with proper hygiene and good care. It is a known secret that divers, at times, pass urine while wearing wetsuits. If that is not the case, it is anyway impossible to stop sweating under the drysuit. Considering these factors, you must properly wash and disinfect your wetsuit after each dive. It is obvious that there’s no point in holding on to your old drysuits that are too small or too large to be worn. Offer them to a local association or sell them on a second-hand website if they’re still in good shape to earn some cash for future purchases.
6. How to store your dive computer?
If you do not drop your dive computer often, and clean and store it under excellent conditions, the biggest service that it has to undergo would be a simple battery replacement, which you can get done at any dive shop.
7. Clean your jacket
Maintaining your jacket is not a difficult task. All you need to do is to rinse it well, check whether the purge operation is stable, lubricate the inflator buttons, and inspect the pockets, seams, and straps of it carefully.
8. Are your gloves in good condition?
Diving gloves protect your hands from cuts, stings, the cold, and other injuries that can take place during a dive. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain them properly if you want to enjoy a safe dive. Always check whether your gloves do not have any defects right after and before you dive.
9. Keep your accessories in place
As a responsible diver, keeping your diving accessories in place should always be followed keenly. You cannot plan a dive trip and look for your dive accessories at the last minute only to find out that some of them are missing. The best way to protect your dive accessories is to clean them right after every dive and store them together in a proper place.
10. Seek professional help
Not all kinds of scuba diving equipment servicing can be done at home. Certain procedures require professional help. In addition to that, if you ever come across replacing components of your dive gear, having to visit a dive centre becomes inevitable. The best advice on seeking professional help to service your dive gear is to choose the right dive centre. Many dive shops in Singapore offer dive gear servicing, however, you need to do your research and find what suits your requirements the best before taking your dive gear for its annual service round.
How to Clean Your Giving Gear after Every Dive?
Apart from the annual servicing trip, your dive gear needs proper care in order to be used in the long run. Here are the steps that you need to follow to keep your dive gear safe throughout its lifetime,
1. Rinse your equipment thoroughly.
No matter if you are scuba diving in fresh or salt water, always wash your scuba equipment with clean water after each dive. This will aid in removing dirt and other impurities, such as microorganisms or coral or jellyfish stinging particles. Additionally, it helps in avoiding the formation of salt crystal buildup during ocean open-water dives.
2. Dry your dive gear well.
A PADI Pro may find it challenging to do this if they use their diving gear frequently throughout the day. However, make every effort to dry off your equipment between dives. In addition to damaging your diving equipment, bacteria and fungus can quickly grow and spread when dive gear is left damp. This can also result in skin diseases and irritations. The easiest way to dry your dive gear is to hang them in the sun. However, make sure not to keep them under the hot sun for long, because neoprene and rubber parts may become brittle and materials may age more quickly in the presence of sunlight.
3. Make sure that your devices are not defective.
All moving parts on your diving equipment, including the BCD buckles, inflator buttons, regulator purge buttons, etc., should be checked for cleanliness and functionality at least once every day. This will give you peace of mind that your diving equipment is free of any debris that could malfunction during a dive, such as sand, dirt, or salt crystals.
4. Deep clean your dive gear.
In addition to rinsing your dive gear after every dive, you should also wash your equipment at least once a week with a cleaner specifically made for diving gear. This applies not only to your neoprene wetsuit but also to your BCD.
5. How to store your scuba gear properly.
In order to prevent damage and material deformation, you should make sure that your gear is stowed properly between dives, especially if you’re taking some time off from diving or instructing. Before putting it away, make sure it is totally dry. It’s important to remember not to stand your fins on the blade end and to take precautions to prevent scratches on the glass of your diving mask.
Where to Get Your Scuba Diving Gear Serviced Professionally?
Getting your dive gear professionally serviced can be done at any reputable dive shop in Singapore. Many dive shops offer dive gear servicing such as BCD servicing, scuba regulator servicing, and battery replacements at affordable rates, however, this can vary depending on the types and the brands of your gear.
How to Choose the Right Dive Store to Service Your Equipment?
When taking your dive gear for servicing, it is crucial that you take them to a reliable dive shop. The first factor to consider when choosing a dive shop is customer reviews. In addition to good ratings, you should make sure the servicing will be done with genuine service kits from the equipment manufacturer. If the diving shop is hesitant to answer your question or if this isn’t explicitly stated on the website, it can be an indication that they’re not utilizing the genuine parts. This can damage your device or negate any manufacturer’s warranties you might have.
Why Choose Waikiki Dive Centre?
If you are looking for a reliable dive shop to get your precious scuba gear serviced, Waikiki Dive Centre can be recommended as the place to go. Not only has it been in the industry for years but also has earned authorization as a service centre for many high-end dive gear brands. Waikiki Dive Centre offers you a warranty period for certain devices after every service round, and you can have peace of mind knowing that your equipment will be serviced by expert hands. Visit the official website of Waikiki Dive Centre for further information and get your scuba gear serviced by the best!