Fuels such as natural gas, wood, charcoal, gasoline, and propane produce carbon monoxide (CO). The risk of carbon monoxide poisoning is the reason medical experts, first responders, manufacturers, and top-level professionals advise against using appliances that burn fuels inside a structure, unless the appliance is designed for inside use. Avoiding CO poisoning is also the reason the propane cooking stove in your kitchen has a hood. That hood removes CO. Camp stoves are not designed to remove CO. “This is the simple explanation,” says Steve Dodson, co-owner of Wildhorse Propane & Appliance, which provides Aromas propane services.
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, tasteless, and odorless gas that builds up in the blood. When too much CO is in the air, it replaces oxygen in the red blood cells, leading to serious illness and even death.
Why does the kitchen stove need a hood?
Propane and natural gas stoves need hoods for ventilation. California requires all propane and natural gas stoves to have a hood. The role of the stove’s hood is to remove the by-products, especially CO, of burning propane from the kitchen.
Propane stoves use two types of hoods, ducted and non-ducted. The ducted hood moves the air from the kitchen to the outside, where the CO dissipates. The non-ducted hood recirculates the air through filters to dissipate CO.
Why can’t camp stoves be used inside?
The only ventilation that camp stoves have is natural, outdoor air circulation. When used safely, outside, the carbon monoxide dissipates within minutes, with some traces remaining for around an hour, depending on where the stove is located.
Any fuel consumes oxygen when burning. When a camp stove is used inside a house, a tent, or even a covered patio, the carbon monoxide can take hours to dissipate, and tragedy can happen very quickly.
Most CO poisoning occurs during cold, wet months. When the power goes out, people might be tempted to fire up the camp stove on the kitchen counter to fix dinner. Novice campers and backpackers might be tempted to make morning coffee and cook some bacon in the tent to avoid morning chill or unexpected rain. Moving the charcoal grill into the tent on a cold night might seem like a good idea, but it’s not. Camp stoves, gas, wood, or charcoal grills are good choices for back-up cooking, but only when used outside in a well-ventilated space.
What are the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning?
Wildhorse’s Aromas propane team believes the more information you have, the better. There are many highly reliable online sources for medical advice about carbon monoxide poisoning. One of the top medical sources is the Mayo Clinic.
At any signs of the following symptoms, or suspicions of CO poisoning, get outside into fresh air and call 911 immediately. It’s important to get prompt medical care, but do not try to drive. The symptoms include:
- Headache, dizziness, or both.
- Confusion, blurred vision.
- Weakness, loss of muscle control.
- Nausea, even mild nausea, or vomiting.
- Shortness of breath.
- Sleepiness, loss of consciousness.
- Symptoms of the flu without a fever.
The effects of damage from carbon monoxide poisoning can appear long after someone has recovered. Carbon monoxide affects the brain, the nervous system, and the heart. The risk of brain and nervous system damage is especially high in older people.
Carbon monoxide poisoning can also be dangerous when people are asleep, or have used medication, or substances that make them sleepy. Carbon monoxide is odorless, and brain damage and death can happen before someone is aware there’s a problem.
Signs of brain and nervous system damage include loss of memory, personality changes, and movement problems. Seek medical attention as soon as possible.
What are the five rules for avoiding carbon monoxide poisoning?
- Do not use camp stoves, gas-powered grills, or burn charcoal inside a home, tent, shed, or any other building or enclosure. Avoid using any kerosene, butane, or propane-powered heater, lantern, or cooking device in an enclosed area. Be sure wood stoves are properly vented.
- Install carbon monoxide detectors in strategic locations in the home or business. Test them regularly, replace batteries or the CO detector as needed. Structure fires also produce CO. Combination smoke and CO detectors warn when both smoke and CO are present, and are gaining popularity..
- If, for some reason, your propane cookstove does not have a hood, get one as soon as possible. Some older homes with older stoves may not have been required to have a hood at the time the stove was installed. But it’s wise to be safe, install a hood, and consider upgrading the old stove.
- Regularly check the hood to be sure it’s venting properly. If the hood has filters, change the filters according to manufacturer’s instruction.
- When buying a new stove and hood, have them installed professionally. The Aromas propane provider, Wildhorse Propane and Appliance, sells, delivers, and installs top-brand appliances. The team also inspects propane systems, installs new gas lines, and educates the public about propane safety.
These safety precautions can help avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, but don’t assume that you are always 100% safe. At the sign of any symptom, get into fresh air and call 911. Safety is always the top priority in any situation.
How does the propane company help?
Wildhorse Propane & Appliance has been serving residential, commercial, and agricultural propane users since 1980. The local, family-owned company serves communities from Santa Cruz and San Benito counties, throughout all of Monterey County, and North San Luis Obispo County.
The team provides propane, propane services, propane tanks, underground and above-ground pipe services, appliances, and great food at the Wildhorse Café just across the street. Wildhorse carries a full showroom of brand-name refrigerators, washers, dryers, dishwashing machines, ovens, stoves, and more.
Customers have the convenience of regularly scheduled propane deliveries, online bill pay, and prompt attention for answers to questions, inspections and repairs, upgrades, and appliance delivery and installation.
Building a propane-powered home or business? Wildhorse Propane & Appliance has been working with construction companies and government agencies to install underground gas lines since 1980.