Check Whether a Parking Heater Is Safe for Car Camping
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Key Takeaway
Normal operation and a fault differ a lot. In Korea Consumer Agency tests, carbon monoxide was 0.01% or less normally, but some heaters gave off up to 9.65% when combustion went wrong.
What kind of product is a parking heater?
A parking heater burns diesel or kerosene with the car engine off and heats air or water through a heat exchange system to warm the inside of the vehicle. Two types are sold: a built-in type fixed inside the car, and a portable type with the unit outside the car and an air outlet connected to the vehicle. Because they burn fuel, they can release harmful gas, and a hot exhaust outlet can cause burns, which is where the Korea Consumer Agency started.
What did the Korea Consumer Agency tests find?
The Korea Consumer Agency measured exhaust gas and exhaust outlet temperature on 10 parking heaters sold online (8 built-in, 2 portable). Below are the results published in the May 2022 issue.
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Carbon monoxide (normal operation) | 0.01% or less for all 10 |
| Carbon monoxide (abnormal combustion, such as no warm air) | Up to 9.65% in some products |
| Nitrogen oxides | 41 to 79 ppm for all 10 (within the 80 ppm or lower certification standard for household boiler exhaust) |
| Exhaust outlet temperature | 180°C or higher for all 10 |
| Exhaust outlet temperature of the 2 portable units | 349°C and 413°C |
As a point of comparison, the Korea Consumer Agency cited the carbon monoxide safety standard concentration (0.07% or less) for oil stoves, which burn fuel in a similar way. It added the caveat that the usage environment is different. The business behind the product that showed 9.65% agreed to exchange the product voluntarily if a problem arises.
What should you follow when installing and using one?
These are the precautions the Korea Consumer Agency compiled.
| Area | Content |
|---|---|
| In use | If warm air is not coming into the room normally, incomplete combustion is possible, so stop using it immediately, check the installation, and get a repair or exchange |
| In use | Ventilate regularly and install a carbon monoxide alarm in the vehicle |
| Built-in installation | Have a specialist company do it, level the base of the unit with the mounting surface, and install it so the intake and exhaust outlets come fully out of the car |
| Portable installation | Set it up so it will not tip over, and do not use the unit indoors |
| Common | Fix the intake and exhaust pipe connections firmly with fixing bands and check the connections regularly |
Are there safety standards?
As of the May 2022 issue, parking heaters were classified as a minor structural or device change among car tuning items that need approval, so anyone could install one without a separate approval process. No related safety standard had been set, and the Korea Consumer Agency said it planned to ask the relevant ministry to review safety standards such as exhaust gas. Since this article reflects the situation at that time, check the official guidance again before buying to see whether a newer standard exists.
What should you check before buying?
Before buying, take care of three things: installation method, seller, and alarm.
- For a built-in type, check that a specialist company can install it. For a portable type, check that you can place it where the exhaust outlet cannot be touched.
- Check that the seller will let you stop use and get an exchange or repair if something goes wrong.
- Prepare a vehicle carbon monoxide alarm as well.
- The Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the National Fire Agency also advise frequent ventilation and a portable carbon monoxide alarm when you have no choice but to use a heater inside a tent.
Product information
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Breezemoon Carbon Monoxide Alarm
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does a heater running normally give off almost no carbon monoxide?
In the Korea Consumer Agency tests, carbon monoxide under normal operation was 0.01% or less for every product. Under abnormal combustion, when the heater did not blow warm air, up to 9.65% was measured in some products.
Do I really need a carbon monoxide alarm?
The Korea Consumer Agency recommended installing a carbon monoxide alarm inside the vehicle whenever you use a parking heater.
Can I use a portable type inside the car?
The Korea Consumer Agency advised not to use the body of a portable unit indoors. It also said the exhaust outlet gets hot enough to burn a child who touches it.
Sources & Verification Date
- Beware of harmful gas and high-temperature burns when using parking heaters (Korea Consumer Agency, Consumer Era, May 2022 issue) · Verified
- "Heating with charcoal inside a tent is extremely dangerous": beware of camping fires (Ministry of the Interior and Safety and National Fire Agency, Policy Briefing 2024-04-24) · Verified
All materials have been verified from official announcements and may have changed since verification.