Check for Carbon Monoxide Monitors in Vacation Homes

Two weeks ago a family of four fell asleep in an Aspen home — and didn’t wake up.

The Lofgren family of Denver was vacationing in the mountains for the long Thanksgiving weekend, after they had won the use of the home in an fundraising auction. Another family, who had later driven up from Denver to spend part of the weekend with them, found the Lofgrens dead in their beds. They had succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning.

Investigators say that the bedrooms were two floors above a crawl space where some of the mechanical, plumbing and heating systems are located in the home — and that a “combination of errors” in the functioning of these systems caused lethal levels of carbon monoxide to form. Carbon monoxide is a deadly, odorless, colorless gas that is produced by the incomplete burning of fuels such as coal, wood, charcoal, oil, kerosene, propane and natural gas. Authorities have not revealed whether a working carbon monoxide detector was found in the home.

The story is tragic on so many levels, but for me, it hits home since the parents’ ages (39 and 42) and kids’ ages (8 and 10) are so close to my family’s. It also brings to mind the amount of trust we have when we’re staying at a friend’s home or in a vacation rental.

Would you ever think to ask your hosts whether or not they have a carbon monoxide monitor installed, and when was the last time they checked its efficacy? Probably not. The last time I rented a vacation apartment i did not ask if a CO monitor was on site, but you can bet I’ll check into it the next time I do.

When you’re staying at a large hotel, you assume that the smoke alarms, sprinkler systems and other safety measures are in place — after all, large properties have frequent health and safety inspections to prevent such tragedies. But vacation homes or small B&Bs? Maybe not. It wouldn’t hurt to confirm that their safety inspections are up to date. Once you’re at the property, look for working smoke alarms, and yes, CO monitors.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, 170 people in the U.S. die every year from CO produced from non-automotive consumer products, like furnaces, water heaters, ranges and room heaters. Thousands more are treated for CO poisoning annually. (Unfortunately, symptoms from moderate CO exposure mimics flu symptoms – such as headache, fatigue, nausea, dizziness; if you think you’ve been exposed, get out in fresh air immediately and seek medical attention.)

If there is any good to come from the Lofgren family’s early deaths its that Aspen has passed a law requiring CO monitors in every newly built home, and lawmakers are considering retroactively requiring homes to install CO monitors. There is currently a similar statewide law under consideration.