Winter Continuity: Strategic Dual-Heater Rental Deployment in Suburban Chicago

By Porta-Air Mechanical Team Suburban Chicago, IL — Winter 2025

When a popular restaurant in the Chicago suburbs expanded its seating capacity with a large outdoor dining tent this winter, they faced a complex mechanical hurdle. While the tent provided a beautiful atmosphere for guests, keeping it at a comfortable dining temperature during an Illinois deep freeze required more than just standard equipment—it required a creative, multi-fuel engineering heat rental strategy.

The Challenge: Limited Gas Infrastructure

Initially, the plan relied on two high-capacity indirect-fired gas heaters. These units are the gold standard for event tents because they provide 100% clean, breathable air by venting combustion byproducts outside through a dedicated flue pipe.

However, upon installation, the site team discovered a critical limitation: the restaurant’s existing gas meter did not have the adequate supply pressure and volume to run both indirect fired natural gas-fired units simultaneously at peak capacity. In the middle of a Chicago winter, "half-heat" is not an option.

The Solution: A Hybrid Natural Gas-Diesel Fuel Strategy

To overcome the fuel shortage, the Porta Air team introduced a second powerhouse into the mix: an indirect diesel-fired heater rental. This hybrid approach allowed the facility to maximize its available gas supply while bringing in a secondary fuel source to bridge the gap.

Strategic Air Distribution

The deployment utilized two distinct methods of air delivery to ensure the tent remained a uniform "warm zone":

1. Channeled Air: The Natural Gas portable heating unit was outfitted with specialized flexible ducting. This ductwork was snaked through the tent structure to deliver heat to the far corners, ensuring that tables furthest from the units remained just as warm as those in the center. The NG indirect fired rental unit was used as the primary source of heat.
2. Free Discharge: The second diesel fired gas unit was set to "free discharge," blowing a massive volume of warm air directly into the main body of the tent to create a thermal curtain against the cold Chicago winds.

Diesel as the "Booster" and Redundancy

The addition of the diesel-fired unit served a dual purpose that proved vital as the season progressed:

• · Dual Redundancy: By having both natural gas and diesel units on-site, the restaurant gained an insurance policy. If the gas supply fluctuated, ran out of fuel in the case of the diesel fired unit, or a unit required maintenance, one of the indirect fired unit could carry the load, preventing an emergency shutdown of the dining area.
• · Thermal Boosting: During "Arctic Blast" nights when temperatures dropped into the negatives, the diesel heater acted as a powerful booster. Its high-velocity output provided the extra BTUs necessary to maintain a steady, comfortable 70°F (21°C) inside the tent, regardless of the conditions outside.

A Satisfied Customer

The result was a seamless dining experience for the customers, who remained blissfully unaware of the complex mechanical dance happening just outside the tent walls. By thinking outside the gas line, the Porta Air team provided a reliable, multi-layered heating solution that kept the revenue flowing throughout the year´s harshest months.

At Porta Air, our mission is to ensure that "The Show Goes On," regardless of mechanical limitations or weather. We are proud to have satisfied this suburban Chicago favorite and look forward to keeping their guests warm year after year. If you want someone on your team such as Porta-Air, please give us a call!