Open Skies RV

Video

RV Carbon Monoxide and Propane Safety

Published 1:07 Watch on YouTube

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Summary

Test the CO, propane and smoke alarms before every trip, use CO alarms that are battery operated or have battery backup, and run a generator outside only, at least 20 feet away with the exhaust pointed away. If an alarm sounds, CPSC says get outside to fresh air immediately, then call 911.

Read the full step-by-step guide, with every official source.

Each illustration links to the guide it comes from.

A hand presses the test button on a round white alarm in a bright RV kitchen with a small stove and plum cabinets
Press the test button on the CO, propane and smoke alarms before each trip.Illustrative image created with AI tools. Not a photo of a real person, campground or RV brand.From the guide: How Do You Stay Safe From Carbon Monoxide and Propane Leaks in an RV?
A gloved hand on the valve of one of two white propane cylinders on a travel trailer tongue
Know where the propane shutoff valve is before you need it.Illustrative image created with AI tools. Not a photo of a real person, campground or RV brand.From the guide: How Do You Stay Safe From Carbon Monoxide and Propane Leaks in an RV?
A portable generator sitting on gravel well away from a white travel trailer at a campsite, its exhaust side facing away from the trailer, wide view showing the distance, late afternoon
Run a generator outside only, at least 20 feet away, exhaust pointed away.Illustrative image created with AI tools. Not a photo of a real person, campground or RV brand.Watch the video: RV Carbon Monoxide and Propane Safety
Close-up of a round white alarm mounted low on an RV wall near the floor, a finger pressing its center button, plain alarm face
Test the CO and propane alarms before every trip.Illustrative image created with AI tools. Not a photo of a real person, campground or RV brand.Watch the video: RV Carbon Monoxide and Propane Safety
A gloved hand turning the valve on top of a white propane cylinder on a travel trailer tongue, close-up
Know where the propane shutoff is before you need it.Illustrative image created with AI tools. Not a photo of a real person, campground or RV brand.Watch the video: RV Carbon Monoxide and Propane Safety

See the full image gallery

Full transcript

0:02 How do you stay safe from carbon monoxide in an RV?

0:06 Start with working alarms.

0:08 The Consumer Product Safety Commission calls carbon monoxide the invisible killer.

0:13 It's colorless, odorless and poisonous.

0:17 CPSC reports more than 200 deaths a year in the U.S.

0:20 from CO, more than 100 of them tied to portable generators.

0:25 Before each trip, press the test button on the CO, propane and smoke alarms, and know where the propane shutoff is.

0:32 CPSC advises CO alarms that are battery operated or have battery backup.

0:38 Run a generator outside only, at least 20 feet away, with the exhaust pointed away.

0:44 Symptoms of CO poisoning include headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, sleepiness and confusion.

0:52 If an alarm sounds, get outside to fresh air immediately, then call 911.

0:58 The safety checklist is at OpenSkiesRV.com.

Frequently asked questions

Does an RV need a carbon monoxide alarm?

CO can’t be seen or smelled, so CPSC recommends CO alarms with battery backup. Test the RV’s CO alarm before every trip.

How far should a generator be from an RV?

CPSC says to use portable generators outside only, at least 20 feet from homes, with the exhaust facing away. Apply the same idea to RVs.

What are carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms?

CPSC lists headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, sleepiness and confusion. Get to fresh air immediately, then call 911.

Sources

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Education only: general information, not legal, insurance, mechanical or other professional advice for your situation. Rules, fees, recalls and campground policies change and vary by state, park and manufacturer, so check the official source we link, your RV’s manual or a qualified technician before you act. We may earn money from ads and paid links; our advice isn’t for sale.