Smoke getting into RV

Okieman

Member
There was a brush pile burning somewhat near our RV last night and my wife swears that smoke-smell was coming in the ceiling vents with the heat pump running. This should be a closed cycle re-circ'ing inside air only. I was at work all night (12.5 hours!) and she never opened the door so it did not come in the door. I could smell the smoke outside when I came in at 7 AM and see the smoldering burn pile. Any experience out there with smoke getting in the RV? We have a 2011 Landmark Grand Canyon.

Thanks,
Randy Howeth
 

dbylinski

NE Reg Dir Retired
Randy,

We don't have a heat pump so I can't say with any certainty that this is the culpret. I can say however, that even with the windows and door closed we could smell campfire smoke in every camper we have owned. Additionally, while evacuated from our home for a Forest Fire the inside of our house reeked from smoke smell upon our return. If the outside odor is strong enough it will find a way in especially if it is damp outside. Dampness holds the smoke close to the ground and will result in a very strong odor. Hope this helps.
 

Nabo

Southeast Region Director-Retired
Deb is correct - no matter what you do, smoke finds a way into the coach. It really bothers me cuz campfire smoke messes with my allergies real bad. This is the one of the sad point that I have with camping cuz I love to sit around and watch campfires but pay for it later.
 

TeJay

Well-known member
When we built our house many years ago I did research concerning sealing the home to aid in heating and cooling bills. At that time I read that even the tightest homes would turn over the entire home air several times over the course of a few hours. I can't remember the exact stats but you get the idea. A home is not a camper but I'm sure the same applies to some extent.

TeJay
 

clubmgr

Heartland Owners Club Manager
Staff member
Deb is correct - no matter what you do, smoke finds a way into the coach. It really bothers me cuz campfire smoke messes with my allergies real bad. This is the one of the sad point that I have with camping cuz I love to sit around and watch campfires but pay for it later.

Smoke bothers my allergies, too!! I love the smell (outside) and I love sitting around the campfire, but I can't stand not being able to breathe. So I just don't do it.

We have a 2006 Landmark with a heat pump (love it) and don't seem to have a problem with smoke in the coach. In fact, as soon as I smell smoke I close up all the windows and the door and we don't seem to have a problem with smoke in the coach at all. We have double pane windows. . . maybe they seal tighter????? Of course we have not been downwind of any raging infernos either.

I do notice that when husband-person walks the dog before her bedtime that he sometimes comes in reeking of smoke and he's just been outside a few minutes. He wears sweatshirts which really pick up the smoke smell.
 

traveler44

Well-known member
You see a lot of areas on the East coast in Fl. where the have these controlled burns. Then they always say that the big fires that get away from them were started by unknown causes. We leave an area if the smoke is coming towards us we figure the fire might too. The smoke from burning leaves was finally banned this year in our home town and it is so great to be able to go outside without our eyes burning. Tom
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
Even though we issue burn permits during certain times of the year, burning leaves, trash and construction debris is verboten. But, at campgrounds, some fools look at their campfire as a garbage disposal and toss newspaper, paper plates, and all manners of plastic into them. If the smoke is black, it's a good bet they've got trash and plastics in there. Nice things evolve when you burn plastics and synthetic materials.
 

Okieman

Member
We have the double-pane windows also, but that doesn't seem help. The problem is that my wife is very allergic to smoke and is in danger of an asthma attack if it gets bad. Thanks for all of the replies and I think it is just something we will have to live with. I asked the manager at the RV park we are staying at to let us know before they burn any more brush and I will hitch-up and find a different park to stay at.

Randy Howeth
 

truknutt

Committed Member
With all due respect, your rig is not air-tight. The cook top has a vent that lets air in and 'll bet that you can see daylight around your hot water heater when looking from inside out.
 
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