Hotels | Vacation Rentals

Carbon monoxide (CO) alarms not only serve as lifesavers at home but can also make the difference between life and death when you check into a hotel or vacation rental. Don’t forget to pack one when you leave on your next trip.

…(carbon monoxide) alarms have been readily available since 1989, but there is no uniform requirement for the lodging industry to install them.

~ Lindell Weaver, MD

CO can invade lodging establishments and cause deaths and injuries in the same way it does in homes: through malfunctioning fuel-burning appliances, inadequate maintenance of such appliances, blocked vents, misuse of gas-powered tools, and vehicles left running in attached garages. In 2013, three people – Daryl and Shirley Jenkins and 11-year-old Jeffrey Williams – died in a North Carolina hotel room seven weeks apart due to CO leaking from a corroded pool heater exhaust system. The hotel had no CO detection installed. Without it, the staff had no way to be alerted to the life-threatening condition of their building, and guests had no way to know they were in danger.

CO poisoning incidents in hotels are far from rare and occur both in the U.S. and abroad. According to two published medical journal articles (see links below), between 1989 and 2018 there were at least 183 documented cases of CO poisoning in U.S. hotels resulting in at least 49 deaths and more than 1600 poisoning injuries. CO poisoning can result in permanent brain damage and other physical injuries. It’s likely that these numbers are much higher, as confirmed by a recent report analyzing hotel CO incident response data from U.S. fire departments (see link below). It’s impossible to have accurate totals because no federal agency tracks CO poisoning incidents in hotels, nor do they track incidents in vacation rentals.

Adding to the risk for travelers is the lack of universally required safeguards in the lodging industry. According to recent research conducted by UL Standards & Engagement, “nearly half (46%) of travelers do not worry about CO exposure when staying in hotels and rental properties because they assume CO alarms are installed, and another 44% say they believe every state has laws that require alarms. In fact, codes and other regulations can vary in different states and jurisdictions.”  There is currently no federal legislation requiring hotels or vacation rentals to install CO detection.

How can you protect yourself and your family when traveling?

• ALWAYS carry your own CO alarm (airlines allow them in both carry-on and checked bags – you may need to remove the batteries if you pack it in your checked bag)
  • Report: Comparison of Four Low-Level CO Alarms Suitable for Home Use or When Traveling
  • Consumer Reports: Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detector Buying Guide
• When reserving a hotel room or checking in, ask if CO detection is installed, and consider staying somewhere else if it isn’t.
• Ask similar questions when reserving a vacation rental. Airbnb and VRBO provide a search option to select rentals with CO alarms installed.
• When you arrive, be sure to check for CO alarms on the walls/ceilings. If you can’t tell what the devices are or if they are missing, contact the host or the front desk for clarification. Airbnb provides free alarms to hosts but not all hosts are aware of this program.
• Help others and encourage awareness by leaving public feedback about the status of the alarms (“Safety Amenities”) after your stay.