How To Heat Or Cool Your Tent | Dreamers Event Rentals

We’re going to help you control the temperature of your tent to make sure your guests are comfortable during your event. Some of the most important things to keep in mind when controlling temperature is the size of your tent, what you’re doing under the tent, and the time of day it is that you’re trying to work with. So let’s get right into it.

Important Factors To Remember:

Plan for the time of the event, nothing earlier.
Size matters... How big of an area are you trying to control?
You want to control the temp. not change it up and down all night.
If you do want to add tent accessories then make sure you reserve them early instead of it being too late.

Let's Start With Heat

The obvious answer is to just rent a heating unit. While this isn’t the wrong answer, there is more to it than just renting a heater. Let’s go over how to properly heat your tent so you aren’t spending more than you have to.

Step 1) Enclose your tent to have at maximum 10-20ft of open space while the rest is covered by tent sidewalls.

Step 2) Make sure you have access to a power outlet. If you don’t have power access than you may want to rent a generator to provide power for your heating units. Ben’s Rental in Westminster, MD would be the best place to rent a generator.

Step 3) Now that you have power and your tent is enclosed you’re ready to add a tent heater. We will help you determine how many heaters you’ll need later in the post.

Why Add Tent Walls?

You’re going to want to add sidewalls if you’re looking to block an unwanted view. Also, if it’s calling for rain and wind or if you’re trying to keep it a little warmer in your tent than you’ll want to add sidewalls.

Tent sidewalls come in two different styles in our company, with windows and without windows. The main reason sidewalls create heat when you enclose a tent is because you’re blocking off any flow or breeze. It keeps the air still under the tent which is why we recommend keeping at least two ends of the tent open so air can flow through. Refer to our example below.

• Try to place openings at opposite ends or across from each other
• Sidewalls can easily be installed or taken down with two people
• It’s better to have your tent company hang them just in case and you take them down if you need to versus not hanging them and then you install them

Things You Might Not Know About Tent Heaters

When you rent a tent heating unit you aren’t just renting a heater that you plug in and you’re set. Make sure your tent company installs your heaters correctly that way there is no malfunction during your event.

• Tent heaters are connected to large propane tanks (usually rented separate)
• They are to be placed on the outside of the tent with a vent/blower that sits under the sidewalls
• Heating units require power
• They come with a thermostat so you can set it at a your preferred temperature

What Size Heater Do I Need?

This is a very difficult question that doesn’t have a definitive answer every time. You’re going to want to ask your rental provider what size unit and how many units you’ll need for your event and here are some questions they’ll most likely ask.

• What size tent is it?
• What temperature do you plan on setting your thermostat at?
• How long is the event and how long do you plan on running the units?
• How many power outlets do you have access to?

If you can answer those questions then your rental provider will have a much better idea on how to properly heat your tent.

5 Ways To Cool Your Tent

Your tent is going to block your guests from the direct sun which is one of the main reasons people rent tents. But it is still going to be hot outside if your event is in the summer. So how do we cool of the tent? There are a couple options.

• Tent fans
• Cooling units
• Misting fans
• Avoiding asphalt
• Plan your event later if possible

Tent Fans

This is your most cost effective way to cool off your tent. You’ll want to use tent fans to move air and take off some of the mugginess that your guests may feel if it’s mid summer. Try to aim for having a tent fan at every corner of the tent or on bigger tents every section of the tent.

Misting Fans

Similar to a general tent fan, misting fans are good for informal events where guests don’t mind a little mist. They do a much better job cooling off your guests but again, only if they’re okay with getting misted. Mid-summer this might not be bad idea at all.

Avoid Asphalt

Tents that are installed in grass aren’t 10x cooler than asphalt tents however, blacktop attracts heat and it also traps it which takes it longer to cool off compared to grass.

Cooling Units

Cooling units can be pricey for two reasons. One, they just cost more than tent fans in general. Two, you’ll have to rent sidewalls as well to keep the cool air in the tent just like how you heat the tent. However, if you’re hosting a formal event, you’re probably going to want to use cooling units over fans because they look better, less noisy and cool off guests way better.

Plan Your Event Later (if possible)

Some clients of ours don’t have the option to push back their event or plan their event for a later time which is okay. Although if you have the chance to avoid that mid day hot sun then maybe plan a later event so you catch the sunset.

Summary:

• Properly heat a tent by adding sidewalls, have the heaters installed correctly and plan for an air flow to move stagnant air.
• Properly cool your tent with fans or cooling units depending on your budget.
• Check with your local rental provider on what they have to offer and whether they install tent accessories or the customer does. This could result in more work or more money if you don’t ask up front. Make sure they provide a detailed explanation on how to install the equipment if they don’t do it themselves.