Smoke Detector and Carbon Monoxide Detector for Travel

I use a smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector when I travel. Many people have told me I am being ridiculous.

A few friends tell me it’s a good idea, but they never do it themselves. Fires and carbon monoxide poisonings while traveling are not rare. It is estimated that there are 3900 fires in hotels and motels yearly in the United States. Carbon monoxide poisonings are not as common, but they do happen, and they are preventable. I talk about risk prevention in this post.

I hope you have smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home. Now, think about how often you travel. I may sleep in a hotel or vacation rental about 10% of the year. I don’t trust hotel staff to make sure the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are in working order. I trust owners of rental homes even less. We have been in good VRBO rentals where there were no CO detectors, and many bedrooms didn’t have smoke alarms. At one resort in the Florida Keys, the smoke alarm was beeping because the battery was low. I called the owner, and they told me to disconnect the detector. Why would I trust my family’s lives to people who don’t take the risks seriously?

The risks are real. Previous guests may have disconnected the alarms if the batteries needed to be replaced, and they didn’t want to be bothered. Guests in other rooms may not be as cautious about fire prevention as you are. A guest in the room next to you may be using an appliance meant for outdoor use, leading to carbon monoxide buildup.

Nothing could be simpler than preparing yourself against these emergencies. There are many smoke alarms and CO detectors designed for travel, though regular home devices should be fine. I didn’t buy this model, but mine is similar. I like the 10-year battery, even if it actually doesn’t last that long. This is not a good alarm for permanent use in your home because it is not hardwired. However, if you are traveling, it is far better than relying on the hotel or Airbnb.

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, invisible gas that can kill you in your sleep. It affects children more than adults, and prevention is simple. I have bought five of these detectors for my house and travel. It also has a ten-year battery. It has a simple on and off switch, so it doesn’t go off in your luggage. I prefer this model to the ones without a display because you can see the history of any positive readings. If I’m gone all day hiking, I can come back to the hotel and check the history. Perhaps there was a mild elevation in CO levels that wasn’t enough to cause an alarm. I want to know if that happens, so I can find the cause. The next elevation could be dangerous.

You can’t protect yourself from every risk, but lowering your risk of being caught in a fire or dying of carbon monoxide poisoning while traveling is simple. Combined, it will cost about 80 dollars and will give you years of protection and peace of mind.