The tent is up, the event is happening, your installation is there. Even once the event or installation is up and running, there is still work to be done. Occasional maintenance is a top priority for keep the tent looking and working great, and making sure the installation is as safe and pleasant as possible.
Tensioning
Any environment where wind causes the ropes or ratchet straps attached to the tent to move will inevitably cause some of the anchoring components to loosen. Whether because of the stakes beginning to give slightly or the ropes or ratchets stretching over time, any major catastrophe can be avoided by checking anchoring once every few days. Even on shorter installations, a quick check at the end of the day to make sure that the anchoring is maintaining tension won’t take long and can help you to avoid disaster. Changing environments, such as heavy or enduring rain, can also cause stakes to loose holding power. A quick inspection after such weather conditions can help you ascertain if re-tensioning or possibly adding additional stakes or anchoring is required.
Tensioning on pole tents is vital to the stability of the tent overall, as tension is what keeps the tent fabric aloft. While less of a structural concern on frame tents, all anchoring should be treated as vital due to its importance in keeping the tent grounded during sudden inclement weather.
Repairs
During especially long installations, the chances of the shelter accruing damage increases over time. In most cases, repairing tent or sidewall fabric is best completed after the tent is struck; this allows the fabric to be handled without the need to hurry or rush through proper repair steps. For incidents where tent fabric is damaged in an exceptionally noticeable way, repairs made with vinyl patches and HH-66 vinyl cement can be utilized easily in the field. As a last resort, colored duct tape can even be applied to fix tears and holes in fabric, though this is not a lasting repair and will need to be fixed with an approved method once the tent is struck.
Any incident that causes tent fabric to fail on a mechanical level will require the tent fabric be removed from the structure and either replaced or repaired by heat gun or HH-66 vinyl cement.
Cleaning
If site conditions allow, the easiest method of cleaning is to use either Celina’s Tent Cleaner or a mild dish soap combined with a power sprayer. Power-spraying a tent while it is installed helps avoid pin holes that may occur if cleaners are required to walk on the tent to clean the interior portions. The natural slant of an installed tent will also help reduce dry times by allowing any rinse water to roll off of the tent top. Always be sure to completely rinse off any cleaning products with clean water, and allow the tent dry before folding and storing.
The only time cleaning would be absolutely required during an installation would be when the dirt would detract from the event; cooking tents with heavy grease residue can cause odors and is generally unattractive to look at, and could be cleaned while installed using a degreaser, such as Safe-T-Solve, and a sponge or soft cloth.
The work put into maintenance during a structure’s installation life time will impact that structure for years; care and attention to details will keep the fabric structure functioning in good condition use after use.