TENT MAINTENANCE AND SAFETY DURING RENTAL

The information on this page is part of POLICY-SOP and a contract requirement. Please read carefully.

MAINTENANCE. During the period of the rental, the USER is solely responsible for: EQUIPMENT CARE including standard maintenance, water/ice/snow SHEDDING, tightening, straightening, cleaning, oiling, greasing, fueling, maintaining fluid levels, replacing lost or missing fasteners, correcting and/or limiting loose fittings, breaks or tears, protection from weather, theft or loss and any other activity needed to maintain equipment in as-received condition and for any instruction and training they need. AEG provides these services only if listed as a separate EO (Event Order) line items and cost.

WATER SHEDDING IS CRITICAL TO AVOID SIGNIFICANT DAMAGES. Depending upon the amount of wind and rain tents WILL accumulate water. This is even worse if it is snow or ice. If it accumulates to the point it weighs down the edges of the tent, PONDING will occur (also called WATER BAGGING). Once it starts, it builds upon itself accumulating more and more. This is serious and must be immediately corrected! Ponding allows more and more water to accumulate and continues until the tent collapses. The RENTER is solely responsible for these damages and costs. Follow all instructions at PONDING.shtml (click HERE)!

For tents, at a minimum USER must do the following maintenance items:

1.

Check all anchor ratchet straps twice a week and keep them tight. At the same time:

2.

Check and straighten any tent legs if they have moved.

3.

Check if any pole, fitting or piping has bent, if there are any holes in the vinyl or if any other defect is noticeable. If found, submit a DEFNOTICE immediately.

4.

On frame tents, check and tighten the straps attaching the top to the frame and check to see if any attachment pins are missing. Fix as needed.

5.

Check if anchors have moved or loosened. Re-secure or reinstall as necessary for a solid anchor.

6.

Refill (top off) water anchors (if used). Sledge hammer stakes (if used) so that at least 36" remains in the ground. 42" stakes are most commonly used, however, some may be 48".

7.

WATER SHEDDING. If any water, ice or snow begins ponding on the tent top (ponding = accumulating), this must be pushed off the tent top immediately by pulling off with a push broom. A push broom can also be used to lift up the tent top so it is high enough to drain, but no pole, pipe or other blunt end item can be used - it will puncture and damage the top. The weight of excessive ponding will cause a tent to collapse. Submit a DEFNOTICE it the situation is not immediately resolved. Follow all the requirements at: PONDING.shtml.

8.

Confirm the location site is draining correctly and that side poles and centerpole (if used) are not sinking into the ground. Correct any drainage issue to that the tent location remains as dry as possible. A 6"x6" piece of weather treated plywood or decking can be placed under a side pole to prevent sinkage by loosing the anchor strap so the side pole moves up 1" and then placing the wood under it. Retighten the strap.

9.

If any damage or impact to the tent or using it occurs, a DEFNOTICE must be submitted immediately and all possible actions taken to prevent any further damage to all the equipment. The renter is always responsible for all damages and these can be many times the rental cost.

10.

If you have rented heaters and the temperature falls below 60oF, you must follow the propane vaporization and heater use requirements outlined in your contract (near your the propane fuel line items).

The USER may contract for scheduled maintenance by requesting a contract revision anytime. Unscheduled maintenance is at USER’s cost for emergency callout. Damages and repairs to rented equipment is at the USER's cost, so take every possible action to prevent and minimize them.

SAFETY. In addition to all other SAFETY requirements given in the contract and applicable law, USER agrees TENTS ARE NOT STORM SHELTERS and they must be vacated immediately upon approach of inclement weather. A permanent structure or even a vehicle will offer much more safety than a tent. Tents can collapse in high winds and metal piping can attract lightning. USER are not to risk themselves or their guests and will seek shelter and return only after storms have completely past.

VERIFY YOU HAVE ORDERED THE CORRECT ITEMS FOR THE EXPECTED CONDITIONS. Tents can shrink in cold weather and this may impact your use. Always expect issues if rented in below freezing temperatures and only white top tents are recommended for cold weather use. It may be possible to work around some issues and not others. In either case the RENTER is responsible for the extra costs, labor and damages incurred. In very cold weather the vinyl will get brittle and crack, potentially causing thousands of dollars in damage. You are responsible for any costs, labor and damages incurred, any loss in appearance or quality and any loss of use and/or comfort. Tents are not sealed structures but you can add on items that can help reduce airflow into your tent. These are optional and do add to your cost. Consider adding sidewall anchors that connect to the bottom of sidewalls to minimize movement as well as an inner valance at the top of the sidewall to help seal the top. An extreme measure of temporary taping down of the tent top, valance and sidewall is also possible. Again, each option will add material, labor and clean-up costs.

HEATERS. Make sure you have enough heaters and LPG (liquid propane gas) for the LOWEST EXPECTED temperature and highest LPG vaporization rate during your event. The default temperature is 48oF, but if the temperature falls below 60oF you MUST follow the LPG vaporization and heater guidance given next to the fuel line items in your event order. If LPG gets too cold, the vapor pressure will be too low for tent heaters to operate, the gas regulator may lock or freeze or the LPG low pressure switch will trip off. Tent heaters are fairly basis pieces of equipment with very low failure rates but if find your heater operates correctly for 5 or 10 minutes then shuts down for no apparent reason (and the little red light on the side of the heater next to the on/off switches is flashing) this means you have a low propane vapor pressure and are vapor locked. LPG tanks take heat from ambient air to warm (boil) the liquid propane in your propane tank to a gas to feed the regulator and then the heater. If too cold, the liquid propane will not boil fast enough and the heater's low pressure sensor will trip the heater off. Think of this like boiling water on a stove - if you turn down the heat the boiling stops and nothing is vaporized.

ACCUMULATIONS. Snow, ice, sleet and water can accumulate on any tent top, must must not be allowed to! The additional weight may cause the tent to weaken and collapse. The renter is responsible for removing accumulations and for any damage that occurs. Follow all the requirements at: https://www.amerevent.com/ponding.

 

REVIEW POLICY-SOP for tent safety considerations. See: https://www.amerevent.com/terms

For an adobe.pdf copy of this document. download: https://www.amerevent.com/TENTS/USER/BASIC_TENT_MAINTENANCE.pdf

 

The recommendations, requirements, terms or conditions given in this document apply to any use of AEG equipment, rentals or services and are part of POLICY-SOP. These requirements are in addition to and not exclusive of other terms, conditions and policies in the AGREEMENT. AEG is the "PROVIDER"; the equipment renter or services user is the "USER". The definition of words herein is as given in POLICY-DEFINITIONS.