by Derrick |
Last Updated: March 18, 2023 Camping is a great way to enjoy Mother Nature and all its beauty. While you want to experience the outdoors, you don’t need to spend your nights in the cold, even when winter camping! Even summertime camping can get uncomfortably cold. Knowing how to heat your tent is essential not only for safety but also to ensure you have an enjoyable time and are comfortable.
If you’re looking to heat your tent without using electricity, several heating options are available. But there are also some critical risk factors you’ll want to be aware of. Here’s what you need to know about keeping your tent warm and cozy without having access to electricity.
Safety First: How to Safely Heat A Camping is a great way to enjoy Mother Nature and all her beauty. While you want to experience the outdoors, you don’t need to spend your nights in the cold. Even summertime camping can get uncomfortably cold.
If you’re looking to heat your tent without using electricity, several options are available. But there are also some critical risk factors you’ll want to be aware of. Here’s what you need to know about keeping your tent warm and cozy without having access to electricity.
Table of Contents
Safety First: How to Heat Camping Tents Without Electricity Safely
Non-electrical heating methods for a tent can pose significant risks. Specifically, there are two significant dangers you’ll need to be aware of:
- Fire
- Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Tents are typically made from canvas, nylon, felt, or polyester. These materials are often treated with waterproof chemicals. Unfortunately, they are usually not particularly resistant to fire.
Never use an open flame heating element inside a tent. This includes wood, charcoal, propane, or other gas-based barbecues and heaters. Not only can they easily catch the tent on fire, but they can also cause a build-up of dangerous carbon monoxide inside. Colorless and odorless, carbon monoxide can quickly kill sleeping campers.
Why Proper Camping Tent Ventilation is Key
Tent ventilation plays a key role in staying warm; it will also ensure you can use your tent without condensation. People often try to pull the tent tight and close all windows and vents. Realistically most tents are made from nylon or similar material, and pulling them tight isn’t going to conserve much heat. Keeping some ventilation is essential, even though it might sound counter-intuitive.
Body heat and breath cause condensation to build up inside the tent. This condensation, which forms on the tent walls, makes the interior damp, and the dampness causes you to feel cold. However, proper ventilation prevents condensation build-up, helping keep the inside of the tent and your sleeping gear dry (and therefore help keep you warm).
How to Conserve and Supplement Your Body Heat
The safest non-electrically powered way to stay warm in your tent are decidedly low-tech. Here are some simple, effective solutions you’ll want to try:
Appropriate Clothing
Boost your body heat by wearing warm clothing when going to bed. This doesn’t mean you have to sleep in a winter coat and scarf. Instead, you can stay comfortable and warm by wearing long underwear, thick socks, a shirt, and a knit cap. Just a few additional garments can keep you appropriated toasty even in frigid temps.
Having a Quality Sleeping Bag
Having a decent quality sleeping back is important so this will reduce the amount of time you have to use the heater in your tent. When you are sleeping overnight, you don’t need to leave the heater running; curl up in your sleeping bag and use the heater when you are awake and don’t want to be stuck in a sleeping bag.
Supplemental Heat Sources – How to Heat A Tent Without Electricity
Packing just a few simple items can help you stay warm. Hand warmers are rectangular, single-use packs that act as a comfortable, temporary heat source. While designed for your hands, they are perfectly safe to place in your sleeping bag or in your footwear if your feet get cold (caution do not place them directly against your skin if you have sensitive skin).
A hot water bottle is another safe and effective option. Fill the bottle with boiling water and place it in the bottom of the sleeping bag. Be sure you have a Nalgene or other water bottom that has a very secure lid that will not be accidentally opened. With hot water bottles, the heat will radiate throughout the bag and help keep you warm for a decent length of time.
Eating a calorie-rich meal before bed can help your body stay warm at night. However, timing is critical here. To limit stomach discomfort and potential trouble falling asleep, the meal should be calorie-rich but not calorie-dense where you feel stuffed, which will prevent you from falling asleep. For best results, eat something about a half hour before bedtime.
Outside of the supplemental heat sources listed above, you can use propane space heaters. Propane space heaters are considered an effective, relatively safe way to heat a tent; the heaters are powered by propane stored within a tank of various sizes.
Again it is important to stress these are to be used in a ventilated area; it should not be used in something that is relatively airtight.
How To Calculate Heating Needs
Heat is measured in BTUs, which stands for British Thermal Units. It’s the amount of heat required to raise a pound of water temperature by one degree Fahrenheit.
You will want to calculate the number of BTUs needed to heat your tent. If the heater isn’t strong enough, the tent will not warm to a reasonable temperature. But if the theater is too strong, your tent could be uncomfortably hot. As we will detail below, a heater that is too large for your tent could be a serious safety hazard.
To calculate the appropriate level of BTUs, you will first need to know the cubic feet inside the tent. Cubic feet is measured by multiplying length, width, and height or you can also use the BTU calculator here.
Next, you will take the average outside temperature and subtract the desired inside temperature. The resulting number is the temperature increase. You will multiply the three numbers: total cubic feet, temperature increase, and the number .133. The result is the required number of BTUs necessary to maintain the desired internal temperatures.
Three Heaters to Consider
There is certainly no shortage of propane space heaters on the market; here are three we recommend:
- Heater
Portable, versatile, and with plenty of safety features, the Mr. Heater brand heaters are a great choice for camping and heating a tent without electricity. This one features a four-position control with a built-in Piezo igniter for accurate and precise temperature control. Heat settings can be switched between 4,000 and 9,000 BTU an hour. The lower setting is great to help conserve propane.
As with any heat source you bring into your tent, safety is the first concern. Fortunately, Mr. Heater will automatically shut off if the unit is tipped over or detects low-oxygen levels. The unit also includes a high-temperature wire guard on the front to help keep items from coming into direct contact with the front of the unit.
Lastly, it is easy to transport. It has a fold-down handle makes storing the unit easy; while not tiny, it is easy enough to bring along to a drive-up campsite.
Pros:
- Portable dual-function heater
- Automatic safeguard against tipping and overheating
Cons:
- Only two heat settings
- Heater Little Buddy
As the name implies, this is a smaller, more portable version of the Mr. Heater unit, which is perfect for a camping trip and/or winter camping. Designed to be able to operate indoors, it can heat rooms up to 95 square feet. This is also ideal if you have an additional heat source and use this to supplement it.
Operation is simple with a one-button on/off switch. Safety features include auto-shutoff to unit tip or detect a low oxygen environment. The unit operates off of a one-pound disposable propane cylinder.
This is a great heater for a tent without electricity because it s fairly small and portable. It also won’t take up a lot of room in your tent.
Pros:
- Small and easy to transport
- Requires lightweight one-pound propane cylinders
- Auto shutoff for safety
- Heat without electricity
Cons:
- Propane cylinders need to be replaced more frequently
- Limited to the amount of space the heater will heat
BRS Camping Propane Heater
This portable heater is specifically designed for outdoor activities such as camping, fishing, fieldwork, and more. A double-burner design burns fuel efficiently and provides about three and a half hours of heat from a 230g tank.
The aluminum reflector design conducts heat while resisting dents and other damage. An adjustable air inlet allows for a safe and efficient operation at various altitudes.
Pros:
- Double burner for efficient fuel usage
- 230g tank
- adjustable air inlet
Cons
- A relatively short time of use per tank
How to Stay Safe When Using a Propane Space Heater
Propane space heaters are safe to use, but you will want a thorough understanding of potential dangers. These safety issues are critical to understanding.
Ventilation
When a space heater is running, it consumes oxygen in the air. As the oxygen is used up, it’s replaced by carbon monoxide. If this occurs in a tent, the people inside can become dizzy and confused and eventually pass out. If too much time passes without fresh air, death can occur!
Follow the instructions above to determine the correct number of BTIs for the size of your tent. Avoid using a heater that is too powerful for the size of the tent. Also, make sure the tent is adequately ventilated.
Avoid Flammable Objects
Keep fabric, paper, and other flammable materials away from the space heater. While you can keep the heater in the corner of the tent, make sure it’s not pressed up against any of the sides directly. Instead, you’ll want as much airflow as possible around the unit.
Proper Attachment of the Tank and Hose
Follow assembly and operations instructions strictly. When the unit is operating safely, there should be no smell. However, if the heater develops a leak, you’ll smell a strong odor that resembles rotten eggs or a skunk. You might also hear a hissing noise near the fittings.
If any signs of a leak appear, you’ll want to turn off the space heater immediately. Also, exit the tent right away for fresher air. A leaking propane tank can be very dangerous, so don’t attempt to fix the problem yourself.
Proper Storage
Never store a propane tank indoors. Instead, they should only be stored outdoors, at least 10 feet away from anything flammable; store tanks upright. You’ll also want to use a bungee cord or similar fastener to secure the tank.
Have your tank professionally checked if you plan to store it for an extended period. All tanks at least 10 years old should also be checked out, even if they seem to work fine.
Final Thoughts
Heating your tent doesn’t require electricity. Usually, the best ways to stay warm are the simplest. Extra layers of clothing, hand warmers, and a hot water bottle will help keep you comfy when sleeping outdoors in a tent. Plus, all of these methods post almost no safety risk whatsoever.
Propane-powered space heaters are another effective option. But there can be serious risks you need to be aware of. Make sure the heater is the appropriate size for your tent. Also, keep all flammable materials far away from the heater.
Camping doesn’t have to be uncomfortable. Following the tips above, you can keep your tent toasty no matter how low the outside temperature drops.
