InTents IDEA Book 2023 - 12

tents | cleaning
Sprucing up
Tents are hard at work, making it essential that
they perform and look their best. As such, they're
undergoing thorough cleanings, repairs and in
some cases replacement to keep both appeal
and demand high.
by Pamela Mills-Senn
N
RIGHT: This Teeco washer
can wash up to 5200 sq. ft. of
tent material. The large door
opening makes loading and
unloading large pieces of tent
tops easy. Photo courtesy of
Teeco Solutions.
BELOW: The cleaning room
at Tents for Rent in Ephrata,
Pa., is dedicated solely to
washing and drying tent
tops. The company uses a
rope and pulley system for
hanging wet tents to dry.
Photo courtesy of Tents for
Rent and Teeco Solutions.
ow that parties, events, weddings, festivals and so on
have kicked into relatively high gear, tents are going
out, coming back in, and then going out again. While all of
this activity is welcomed by tent rental companies, it does
pressure them to ensure their inventories are up to the task,
and the quieter winter season is the time most companies
choose to address any issues. In some cases, this simply
requires giving their tents a thorough cleaning. Other times
repairs or even replacement are called for. And iguring out
which of those two-repair or replacement-is needed
isn't as easy as one might think, says Michael Tharpe,
southeast account manager for Rainier Industries Ltd.
Based in Tukwila, Wash., the company provides wall
tents, yurts, retractable power screens and awnings,
commercial tents and more, as well as offers cleaning,
repair and replacement. According to Tharpe, many tent
rental companies ind determining whether to replace
or repair challenging. As such, he says it can take " several
conversations " to identify the issues in an effort to igure
out which way to go.
Repair or replace?
" Generally, if repairs are more than 50% of the costs, it's
better to replace, " Tharpe says. " What should they look for?
The condition of the vinyl has a lot to do with this. They
should look at how stiff or abrasive the vinyl feels to the
touch, the extent of the damage (panels vs. small patches)
and damage in high-tension areas where reinforcement
materials are separated. "
Tharpe is seeing an increasing number of tops being
replaced due to long-term installations, which can damage
vinyl thanks to excessive exposure to UV, wind and other
abrasives. This, in turn, has reduced the demand for vinyl
repair. But, he adds, for several reasons-such as tents being
out for long-term rentals or rental companies not having the
time or labor to clean and inspect their tops-repairs are
still coming in a little slower than pre-pandemic.
12 intents IDEA book 2023
InTents IDEA Book 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of InTents IDEA Book 2023
