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Carbon monoxide safety in a vacation rental
7 Nov 2022
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By Sophie Eminson
Guest safety is a priority for all vacation rental hosts. Carbon monoxide is the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in the USA, and can happen easily within a home, especially during the winter. Most booking sites ask hosts to let guests know on their listing if there is a detector installed. In this blog you can learn how to lower the risk of carbon monoxide in your vacation rental, but please note this is purely a guide. For official advice, UK hosts can consult the government website for the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Regulations.
What is carbon monoxide?
Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless gas which can be deadly if inhaled. It is hard to tell if you are being exposed to it due to the fact it doesn’t have a smell or taste. Below are the steps vacation rental hosts should follow to ensure your property is safe for guests.
Where does carbon monoxide come from?
Carbon monoxide can be made by fires and appliances that burn gas, wood, oil or coal. It is produced when fossil fuels such as natural gas, coal, oil, wood, or kerosene are burned to produce heat or power. Therefore, common household appliances used for heating and cooking can produce the poisonous gas if they are not installed properly, are faulty, or are poorly maintained. This includes but is not limited to:
A wood-burning fireplace
Portable generators
Kitchen appliances such as a gas cooker
Tumble dryers
Gas boilers
How to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide
Make guests aware of the procedures they should follow, should the carbon monoxide alarm go off whilst they are staying. Provide guests with emergency contact numbers in your welcome pack as well as instructions for how to use any of the above appliances (including portable back-ups). For example, avoid using any of these appliances being used near open windows. Alarms should be installed on every floor of your property, ideally outside of rooms where guests may sleep so it is easily audible. Make sure to test these alarms every month. Appliances should also be cleaned and inspected regularly, and exhaust flues should be kept open. Fire vents should also not be closed until a fire is completely out. This guide in non-exhaustive and there are other ways you can take measures in your holiday home. Please do read other sources, for example our Airbnb partner channel help guide.
