In the previous article, we discussed a detailed note on how to inflate a basketball but in this article we will talk that “how to deflate a basketball”. Inflating a basketball is a very common thing, and everyone knows about that. When you buy a new basketball, it is already inflated; so you don’t need to inflate it.
However, as time goes and you play basketball, some of the air automatically escapes out from the basketball. It means that the basketball is deflated instinctively while playing.
If you want to go for travelling purpose or your basketball ball get overinflated, and you want to deflate it. So, you have to simply use the inflation pin or pen tube to deflate the basketball ball. A more detailed review is given below.
Is there any situation in which you need to deflate a basketball? Yes, there are many situations such as when you overinflate a basketball, so you need to decrease its pressure, or another most common situation is that when you want to take a basketball with you while traveling. So, it would be great for you if you had to deflate a basketball to easily pack it in your luggage.
There are several procedures for deflating a basketball. But in this article, we will teach you the three most simple and easy methods by which you can easily deflate it.
Table of Contents
Why did you need to deflate a basketball?
Deflating basketball is an uncommon thing. But there are three situations when we need to deflate the basketball. Those reasons are given below: –
1. Over-inflated basketball
One of the most common reasons for which we need to deflate a basketball is that you overinflate it. An overinflated basketball can be bad for you because it bounces too high when you dribble it; the overinflated basketball also banks too hard off the backboard.
Some peoples ask a question that “how do we know when the basketball is overinflate”? One of the best techniques by which you can easily check is whether your basketball is overinflate or not is that.
You have to hold the basketball at the height of your neck and then drop the basketball. If the basketball bounces at the level of your waist, then this means that the air in it is filled properly. If the basketball bounces back up to the chest, then it means that your basketball is overinflated; it needs to be deflated. Moreover, when you drop the basketball, and it cannot bounce up to your waist, then it means that it needs to be inflated.
2. Basketball automatically got overinflated
At this point, some people get confuse and ask this type of question that, how does my basketball get overinflate automatically? And asked that I inflate it with the correct pressure and check the pressure gauge while inflating it, but why it happens again?
Relax! There are some science related reasons by which your basketball get overinflated. We will tell you about that, in the language of science. So, let’s talk about it.
We play around the basic concept of thermodynamics. Thermodynamics is the relation between heat and energy. According to thermodynamics, energy neither be create and nor be destroy. Thus, it keeps the stabilization in the environment. However, the air moves from high pressure to low pressure.
Moreover, there are the chances that, if there is cold weather outside, then there is low pressure in the air which decreases the air from the basketball, and you need to inflate it. And also that, if there is warm weather outside, there is high pressure in the air. Hence, the warm weather makes the basketball overinflated. So, you need to decrease its pressure by using pressure gauge.
3. During traveling
You may have to deflate a basketball during traveling or while transporting it. When you switch from one city to another, you want that, you have the least equipment during traveling. That’s why you have to deflate a basketball.
Another reason for deflating a basketball during traveling is that if you have a basketball lover in your home, he leaves the cheesy slice of pizza, but he cannot spend his one night without playing basketball 😉. Because basketball is one of the most favourite games of kids, teenagers and even it is a favourite game of adults.
Warning! You have to safely deflate a leather basketball because it sometimes separates the leather and synthetic panel, by which basketball may ruin if you completely deflate it. It does not always happen. But we only give you an alert about that, to keep your eye on the basketball while deflating it.
How to deflate basketball? (Step-by-step guide)
There are three methods of deflating a basketball. We will describe all these methods step-by-step.
1. Deflate a basketball with an inflation pin
2. Deflate a basketball with a pressure gauge
3. Deflate a basketball with a pen
1. Deflate a basketball with an inflation pin
Deflating a basketball with the help of an inflation pin is one of the most common and easiest methods. When you buy a new basketball, it comes with an inflation pin almost every time. But this method is useless for you when you lose your needle. So, now we explain this method step-by-step.
Step no. 1: – Check the air pressure
If you have a pressure gauge, then well and good, you can easily check the pressure from the meter. But if you don’t have a pressure gauge, there is another method for checking the pressure in basketball. “Pick up the basketball with your hand to the level of your shoulders and drop it slowly. If it bounces higher from the level of your waist then this means that, your basketball is overinflated”. It needs to be deflated.
If you are deflating your basketball for traveling purposes then, you can skip this step.
Step no. 2: – Soak the needle or inflation pin
Before putting a needle in the ball, you have to moisten it. You can do so by placing water, applying saliva, or any lubricant. By doing this, the needle can be easily put into the basketball and prevent the air valve from being damaged.
Step no. 3: – Insert into the air valve.
If you want to deflate a basketball completely, then there is no need for an air pump. But, if your basketball is overinflated and wants to escape the small amount of air from it, so, we suggest you to attach the air pump with the needle to keep the right pressure inside the basketball.
Step no. 4: – Let the air escape out
After inserting the needle into the basketball, if you want to take the basketball with you for traveling purposes, then you can squeeze it with both of your hands. This will help to get all the air out.
However, if you’re only trying to escape out a small amount of air from it, then you do not need to leave the needle in the basketball for a long time. It depends on you that how much air you want to escape out.
Step no. 5: – Remove the needle
As soon as you see that a sufficient amount of air is escaped out, then remove the needle from the basketball.
Step no. 6: – Check the pressure again
Skip this step if you are deflating basketball for storage or traveling purposes.
Now, escape out a sufficient amount of air from the basketball, you have to check the air pressure of the basketball by dropping it from the level of your shoulders. If it is still too high, you repeat all these steps again and again until you get a good bounce.
2. Deflate a basketball with a pressure gauge
If you want an accurate amount of pressure in the basketball, so use the air pressure gauge to inflate or deflate it. This is a very simple and elementary method by which you can easily deflate a basketball. We will give you a piece of step-by-step information on this technique.
Step no. 1: – Moisten the needle
You have to moisten the needle or the inflation pin with water, saliva, or any type of lubricant. Using saliva is less recommended, but in some cases, you have a limited amount of options. So, you have to complete the task with the help of saliva.
Step no. 2: – Insert the needle in the basketball
Carefully insert the needle into the air valve of the basketball after moistening it. If you don’t moist the needle before inserting it into the basketball, it may damage the air valve.
OR You can also attach the needle with the pressure gauge first and then insert both of them into the basketball.
Step no. 3: – Attach pressure gauge
After inserting the needle into the basketball, you have to attach the air pressure gauge with the needle carefully.
Step no. 4: – Release air
Press the air release valve on the side of the air pressure gauge for releasing air. Carefully monitor the pressure on the meter. According to the National Basketball Association, the standard pressure in basketball is 7.5 to 8.5 pounds per square inch (PSI).
Step no. 5: – Take off the pressure gauge
When the basketball pressure comes in the range of 7.5 PSI to 8.5 PSI, you can take off the pressure gauge from the basketball.
3. Deflate a basketball with a pen
If you want to deflate your basketball with the help of a pen, then this step-by-step guide will help you a lot. Deflating a basketball with a pen is tricky, but it helps you a lot when you have nothing but a pen. The pen is a common thing, and it is available in every home.
Step no. 1: – Check the pressure of basketball
First of all, you have to check the pressure of basketball by dropping it from the level of your shoulders. If it bounces up to the level of your chest, then it means that it is overinflated.
Step no. 2: – Take a pen
You have to take any type of pen and then remove its cover.
Step no. 3: – Take out the tube
After removing its cover, you have to take out its tube and then detach its tip. You can easily remove its tip with the help of a plier. Make sure that there is no ink in its tube. If there is still ink, then wash the tube properly with warm water.
Step no. 4: – Cut it
After ensuring that the pen tube has been properly cleaned, measure the pen tube 1” to 2” from the bottom and cut it.
Step no. 5: – Put it in valve
Put the tube of the pen in the air valve of the basketball. Make sure that the diameter of the tube is a bit smaller than the diameter of the air valve of the basketball. In this technique, the pen tube gives you the same work as a needle or inflation pin. When you put the tube into the air valve, the air starts escaping out from the basketball. It depends on you that how much air you want to escape out.
Step no. 6: – Again, check the pressure.
Again check its pressure by applying step no one if you escape out enough amount of air from the basketball. If it is still bouncing too high, you can repeat all these steps until it gives a great bounce.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
Q 1. Can you pump up a basketball without a needle?
Answer: – Definitely. Yes, you can pump up a basketball without a needle. However, It may be difficult for you and you need to find out something that can easily fit into the basketball air valve. Such as, you can pump up your basketball with the pen tube, bicycle tubeless valve system, or compressed air can. We have been described all these methods in this article, How to inflate basketball without the needle.
Q 2. How do you stop a basketball from leaking air?
Answer: – If your basketball does not stop leaking, you have to insert the wet needle into the air valve several times. But if it continues leaking, insert the toothpick in its air valve, cut the toothpick from the top, and leave it in the valve.
Q 3. Is it bad to leave basketball in the car?
Answer: You can leave basketball in your car but not in its boot because there is high temperature in the boot of your vehicle, which can damage the basketball’s material and its quality a well.
Q 4. How pumped should a basketball be?
Answer: – According to NBA rules and regulations, the standard pressure of a basketball is from 7.5 PSI to 8.5 PSI. PSI is the standard unit for the pressure which stands for pounds per square inch. If you inflate a basketball above or below this level. It won’t be bounce correctly.
Q 5. How do you check the pressure of basketball without an air pressure gauge?
Answer: – If you don’t have your pressure gauge, don’t worry about that; there is also another method of checking the pressure of the basketball.
You have to grab the basketball at the level of your shoulders and drop it steadily. After doing that, you have to notice that at what level the basketball bounce. If the basketball bounces at the level of your waist, then it means that there is perfect pressure in your basketball. If it bounces at the level of the chest then, your basketball is overinflated. And if its bouncing level is less than your waist, then it needs to be inflated.
Q 6. Is it OK to completely deflate a basketball?
Answer: – If you have a rubber basketball, then you can completely deflate it. There is no worry about rubber basketball in this term. But if you have a leather basketball and want to deflate it completely, it may separate the leather and synthetic panel of the basketball, which decreases the quality of the basketball.
You can’t see it, but it destroys the basketball from inside. That’s why we suggest you to deflate it slowly and keep an eye on the basketball while decreasing its pressure.
Q7. Is there a way to deflate a basketball?
Answer: – Yes, there is a way to deflate a basketball. First, you’ll need to remove the valve on the ball. This is usually located at the top of the ball and can be unscrewed with a wrench or a pair of pliers.
Once you have removed the valve, use a pump to inflate it with air. When it’s fully inflated, you can use an air compressor to deflate it back down to its original size.
Q8. Why would I want to deflate a basketball?
Answer: – There are a few reasons you might want to deflate a basketball:
- It may be too bouncy for your preference, and deflating it can make it easier to handle and shoot.
- You may need to deflate the ball to fit it into a bag or suitcase for travel.
- If the ball has been overinflated, deflating it can help extend its lifespan.
Q9. How do I deflate a basketball?
Answer: – To deflate a basketball, you will need a needle or pin. Locate the small valve on the ball, which is usually on the side or bottom. Gently insert the needle or pin into the valve and press down to release the air. You may need to wiggle the needle or pin around to open the valve fully.
Slowly release the air until the ball is at your desired level of inflation. Once you are finished, carefully remove the needle or pin and close the valve by pressing down on it.
Q10. How do I know when the ball is properly deflated?
Answer: – You can use a gauge to measure the air pressure in the ball and ensure it is at the proper level. If you don’t have a gauge, a good rule of thumb is to squeeze the ball with your hand. If it feels firm but not too hard, it is likely at a good level of inflation.
Q11. Can I Over deflate a basketball?
Answer: – Yes, it is possible to over deflate a basketball. If the ball is too soft, it will be more difficult to handle and may not bounce as well. It is important to find a balance between a ball that is too bouncy and one that is too soft.
Q12. Is it safe to use a needle or pin to deflate a basketball?
Answer: – As long as you are careful and gentle, using a needle or pin to deflate a basketball is safe. However, it is important to be mindful of the ball’s valve and make sure it is closed properly after deflating. If you are concerned about damaging the ball, you can also use a hand pump with a needle attachment to deflate the ball.
CONCLUSION
If you are a basketball lover. So, you might go from the situation of deflating a basketball. Deflating a basketball is fairly easy, and you can do it in less than 10 minutes.
Deflating a basketball needs arises when you want to go for traveling and there is not enough space in your luggage that you can put an inflated basketball in it, OR when you mistakenly overinflate it.
We hope that the method which we have described above in step-by-step form will help you a lot when you are in a situation where you need to deflate a basketball.