LAS VEGAS, Nev. (CONSUMER REPORTS) – Spring break is coming up, and if you’re planning a trip, there’s a serious safety consideration you may not even be thinking about: carbon monoxide poisoning in hotels and vacation rentals. A relatively inexpensive device could save your life. Consumer Reports recently tested CO detectors you can travel with. Its experts tell you which ones can keep you and your family safe.
Kris Hauschildt’s parents were on a vacation in a hotel when they were found dead in their hotel room. His parents died from a carbon monoxide leak at a hotel. Kris says his parents could have survived that incident had CO detection been installed in the building.
The tragedy didn’t end there. Seven weeks later, an 11-year-old boy lost his life, and his mother sustained permanent injuries from the same carbon monoxide leak.
Not all hotels and vacation rentals are required by law to install carbon monoxide detectors, says Gabe Knight, a senior policy analyst for Consumer Reports. CO Detector requirements vary greatly by location. And CO leaks can happen anywhere that there’s a fuel-burning appliance. And that leaves countless travelers at risk.
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that can cause illness or even death within hours of exposure. Consumer Reports recently tested CO detectors you can take with you wherever you go; they plug into an electrical outlet or run on batteries.
Testers placed each device in a closed chamber, exposed it to varying levels of carbon monoxide, and recorded the time it took to trigger the alarm. Testers also checked how accurately each device reported the CO levels.
The Lunarlipes Portable Carbon Monoxide Detector PTH-10D, for $39, quickly and reliably sounds an alarm when exposed to both low and high levels of CO. It comes with a built-in rechargeable battery.
The Kidde Portable Carbon Monoxide Detector KI21006677, for $70, plugs in, while a bit bulkier, excels at detecting both low and high levels of CO and accurately displays them, even at low levels.
Kris says, “Travel with your own carbon monoxide alarm. That is life-saving to be able to take that action on behalf of yourself and your family.”
It’s not just hotels and vacation rentals; CO poisoning can happen on RVs and boats, or anywhere there’s a fuel-burning appliance. A high-performing detector is crucial, which is why you can access all of CR’s carbon monoxide detector ratings for free at CR.org.
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