Van lifers cast societal norms to the wind to go nomadic and see all the beauty of the world firsthand. Of course, there's danger out there, too. For one Reddit user, the danger wound up being right in their van.
This Redditor shared the story of their brush with carbon monoxide poisoning to the r/VanLife subreddit in a post entitled "Almost died to carbon monoxide today."
The post begins with the OP describing a totally normal scenario in which they were cooking on their propane stove in their van, and the weather suddenly got nasty.
"Kind of in the haze of the moment I shut my van door, which I always keep open when cooking," the caption described. "Within like 30 seconds my head started to get SUPER itchy. Like I was itching my ears so badly they started bleeding. Then the redness travelled to my chest, legs, even feet."
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Fumes from gas stoves can cause health issues even in full-sized homes. To have one running in a camper van with all the doors and windows shut is exponentially more dangerous. In fact, it's potentially deadly.
Carbon monoxide fumes are odorless and invisible. However, they can cause severe illness even at low doses, and they may not even trigger symptoms until it's too late. While the OP's error in this post is a clearly avoidable one, mistakes do happen, and leaks can occur without any mistake ever being made.
If you're looking to avoid the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning, switching to an electric stove is your safest bet. Electric stoves do not produce any pollution, nor do they leak any poisonous gases.
Making the switch to electric doesn't just protect you; it also protects the planet. By going electric, you'll decrease the amount of pollution your household generates, reducing your environmental impact.
Of course, it's not necessarily an option for everyone to make the switch to an electric stove. However, carbon monoxide detectors are another great way to protect yourself in a cost-effective way. Even if you do go electric, getting a detector should still be a priority, as stoves aren't the only place the deadly gas can come from.
Commenters offered some useful advice and well-wishes to the OP.
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No way 👎 "This is why you need a carbon monoxide detector. A close relative is a gas worker and explained the dangers to me," one said. "I always cook with the fan on and a window open. Rain or shine. Glad you're okay OP."
"Such a close call. Must feel like a pretty big shock, but it's great you're here. Wishing you the best and lots of love," another said.
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