<\/picture><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n1. Understand the difference between propane and electric<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Generally speaking, tent heaters rely on either propane gas or electricity to create the warmth we crave on a cold night under the stars. Both types of heaters offer different benefits and disadvantages that are worth understanding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First things first, propane heaters allow you to heat your tent in the absence of an electric hookup, which is great in primitive campsites. This versatility does come at a price, though, which is a higher risk of fires and toxic gases, though many modern tent heaters have a number of safety features to combat this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Electric heaters, on the other hand, don\u2019t emit any toxic gases and have a lower risk of fire, but they can still happen. However, electric heaters generally require some sort of electric hookup to run, which could be impossible to find, based on where you\u2019re camping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. Only buy tent-safe heaters<\/h3>\n\n\n\n This safety tip is non-negotiable. Only heaters that are specifically designed for use inside a tent should ever be used in your tent. This is because tent-specific heaters are designed for use inside a confined space and have additional safety features to prevent catastrophe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. Position your tent heater properly<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Most modern propane tent heaters and all-electric heaters don\u2019t actually create a huge open flame – rather propane heaters often disperse the burning propane through ceramic tiles, while others actually rely on the chemical process involved in a catalytic heat converter to create warmth. But, even these radiant and catalytic heaters and electric heaters can cause a fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tent heaters can get really hot, so any flammable objects in close contact with them (think spare clothes, sleeping bags, and tents) can catch on fire. Before you use it, be sure to position your heater so that it\u2019s not likely to come in contact with anything during the night. You\u2019ll also want to position it so that you or someone else can\u2019t accidentally knock it over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. Ensure proper ventilation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n If you choose to use a propane heater, you must ensure that your tent is properly ventilated. In an enclosed space, the carbon monoxide and other gases released by a propane heater or open flame can quickly reach toxic levels and cause serious illness or death by preventing the proper absorption of oxygen into the bloodstream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before you use a propane tent heater, ensure that there is sufficient ventilation within your tent. There should always be a place for toxic gases to escape the tent, which simultaneously allows fresh air to enter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can help ensure proper ventilation by making sure that there is airflow under the tent fly and into the tent body. In windless conditions, you may even need to leave the tent zipper open by six inches or so to allow for some air movement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n Ultimately, a heater that is specifically designed for use in a tent is safe for camping<\/a> when operated in accordance with the manufacturer\u2019s instructions. Both electric and propane heaters pose some element of danger, but with proper use and solid attention to detail and safety protocols, you can effectively minimize the risk involved with operating a tent heater and reap its innumerable benefits.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"We all know the feeling – you’re out on a family camping trip, lying awake in your sleeping bag in the middle of the night shivering. You’re wearing all of<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7436,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":24,"label":"Camping"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/PortableBuddy-1024x768.jpg",640,480,true],"author_info":{"display_name":"Peter","author_link":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/author\/outsidedecider\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":24,"name":"Camping","slug":"camping","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":24,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":132,"filter":"raw","term_order":"0","cat_ID":24,"category_count":132,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Camping","category_nicename":"camping","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":false,"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3024"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3024"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3024\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10442,"href":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3024\/revisions\/10442"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7436"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3024"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3024"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3024"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}