Carbon Monoxide in a Closed Camper: The Rule Is the Detector

Carbon monoxide (CO) has no smell, no color and no taste. In a closed camper on a cold night, with heaters running and generators nearby, it's one of the real dangers of fall and winter camping.

The rule is simple: have a working CO alarm and test it every trip.

01Where CO comes from at camp

• Generators, yours or your neighbor's, especially with exhaust near windows or vents
• Propane appliances that aren't working right: furnace, water heater, stove
• Unvented heaters used inside
• Grills and camp stoves brought inside to warm up (never do this)
• Vehicle exhaust from idling cars nearby

02The alarm

Most RVs come with a CO alarm, usually mounted low on a wall near the sleeping area. Check yours:

• Press the test button every trip.
• Check the date. CO alarms wear out. Many last around 5 to 7 years; the date and the replace-by date are on the back or the side.
• Know the beeps. A low-battery chirp or end-of-life signal is different from an alarm. Check your manual.
• Don't disconnect it because it goes off when you cook. If it does, something needs checking.

In a tent with any heater, bring a battery-powered CO alarm too. See tent heaters: what's safe.

03If the alarm goes off

1. Get everyone out into fresh air right away.
2. Turn off fuel-burning appliances if you can do it quickly.
3. Call 911 if anyone feels sick: headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion.
4. Don't go back in until the source is found and the camper is aired out.

04Prevention

• Keep generator exhaust pointed away from your camper and your neighbors'. See generator quiet hours.
• Have your propane appliances checked yearly.
• Clear snow and leaves from the furnace and water heater vents outside.
• Never use outdoor heaters, grills or stoves for heat inside.

A CO alarm is cheap. Test it.

Photo: Carbon monoxide alarm by Santeri Viinamäki, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Related: Fall Camping: How to Stay Warm When Nights Drop Below 40