- #1
fog37
- 1,568
- 108
- TL;DR Summary
- health danger of being inside a running car for a prolonged time while it is not moving
Hello Forum,
I am not sure this question really belongs here but I was not sure where else to post...it is about science and health after all. I started thinking about this question seeing so many people have sadly become homeless and living in their cars because of the pandemic and job crisis.
When a car is not moving and either the heating system (very cold outside) or the cooling system (very hot outside) is used while occupants are in the vehicle's cabin for long durations of time, CO poisoning from the exhaust fumes entering the car is a real danger and possibility with both new and old cars. Many people go camping, do road trips and often sleep in their cars. Truck drivers sleep in their trucks all the time.
But my understanding is that running the AC or the heat while being in the car is extremely dangerous and should never be done.
Cooling and heating can work in two modes:
a) Recirculating air mode: the air that is already inside your vehicle's cabin is continuously used. This mode seems to prevent the exhaust fumes and CO to enter the cabin. However, if we stay in the car for hours, the air we breath is depleted of oxygen, rich in CO2 and moisture and suffocation becomes a risk.
b) Fresh air mode: air is pulled from the outside and either warmed by the heating core or cooler by the evaporator. If the car is running and not moving, exhaust fumes are certainly pulled into the cabin and dangerous. This is not a problem when we wait at a traffic light for a few minutes but sleeping in the car for many hours is surely dangerous.
How about talking in the car (being awake) for a few hours running either the AC or the heat? It seems equally dangerous but being awake can surely prevent death.
Is my understanding correct? In summary, spending time in a running vehicle while it is not moving is very dangerous. I guess one option could be a battery operated electric heater to warm up with the car off when it is cold...
Thanks!
I am not sure this question really belongs here but I was not sure where else to post...it is about science and health after all. I started thinking about this question seeing so many people have sadly become homeless and living in their cars because of the pandemic and job crisis.
When a car is not moving and either the heating system (very cold outside) or the cooling system (very hot outside) is used while occupants are in the vehicle's cabin for long durations of time, CO poisoning from the exhaust fumes entering the car is a real danger and possibility with both new and old cars. Many people go camping, do road trips and often sleep in their cars. Truck drivers sleep in their trucks all the time.
But my understanding is that running the AC or the heat while being in the car is extremely dangerous and should never be done.
Cooling and heating can work in two modes:
a) Recirculating air mode: the air that is already inside your vehicle's cabin is continuously used. This mode seems to prevent the exhaust fumes and CO to enter the cabin. However, if we stay in the car for hours, the air we breath is depleted of oxygen, rich in CO2 and moisture and suffocation becomes a risk.
b) Fresh air mode: air is pulled from the outside and either warmed by the heating core or cooler by the evaporator. If the car is running and not moving, exhaust fumes are certainly pulled into the cabin and dangerous. This is not a problem when we wait at a traffic light for a few minutes but sleeping in the car for many hours is surely dangerous.
How about talking in the car (being awake) for a few hours running either the AC or the heat? It seems equally dangerous but being awake can surely prevent death.
Is my understanding correct? In summary, spending time in a running vehicle while it is not moving is very dangerous. I guess one option could be a battery operated electric heater to warm up with the car off when it is cold...
Thanks!