What’s the Safest Way to Heat a Van or Tiny Home?

Externally-vented heater (combustion isolated)

• Heat stays consistent overnight without oxygen swings.
• Exhaust goes outside; you’re not breathing combustion byproducts.
• Still requires correct install, intake/exhaust integrity, and detection.

Electric heat on shore power (short-use, supervised)

• No combustion, no CO generation from the heater itself.
• Primary risks are electrical load, tipping, and poor wiring.
• Use only with stable power and sane circuit protection.

Vehicle engine heat (as a system, not a hack)

• Can be safe if you’re using the vehicle as designed and not idling all night.
• Idling introduces theft risk, exhaust exposure risk, and mechanical wear.
• Not a reliable plan for stationary nights or extreme cold.

Unvented combustion inside (propane “buddy,” open flame, stove for heat)

• CO risk increases with incomplete combustion and poor oxygen.
• Moisture output drives condensation and mold.
• Fire risk rises fast from tip-over, fabrics, and cramped clearances.

• Heater cannot tip, slide, or shift under braking or bumps.
• Keep clearances from fabric, bedding, curtains, and stored gear.
• Route heat so it doesn’t blow directly onto plastic, wiring, or aerosol items.
• Plan a shutdown routine that you can do half-asleep.

• Exhaust path goes outside and stays sealed end-to-end.
• No exhaust leaks into the cabin through joints, grommets, or floor gaps.
• Keep exhaust outlet away from doors/windows/vents where it can be pulled back in.
• Protect hot exhaust from contacting underbody lines, wiring, and insulation.

• Fresh air intake is real, not “crack a window sometimes.”
• One controlled exhaust route (roof vent or dedicated outlet) reduces moisture load.
• Do not block airflow with storage bins and soft gear around the heater.

• Fire extinguisher is reachable from the bed and from the door.
• Know your exits; do not build a “maze” between you and the door.
• Keep fuel canisters, aerosols, and lighters out of heat paths and sun exposure.

• Heat + ventilation together: keep surfaces warm enough and move moist air out.
• Dry sleeping system: protect bedding from damp air and cold surfaces.
• Keep wet gear in a controlled zone, not next to your sleeping area.

• “Just crack a window” while running unvented heat all night.
• Cooking as heat without managing steam and grease.
• Sealing everything tight with no planned airflow path.

• Store fuels so they cannot tip, leak, or vent into your cabin.
• Keep fuel away from heat sources and direct sun exposure.
• Do not store fuel near bedding, electrical panels, or cooking zones.
• Know what your fuel smells like so you catch leaks early.

• Refuel outside whenever possible. Ventilate hard if you must handle fuel near the cabin.
• Wipe spills immediately and remove contaminated rags from the living space.
• Never refuel while anything is running that can ignite vapors.
• Build a habit: fuel handling is a “no distractions” task.

• Place it where you will hear it while sleeping.
• Don’t block it behind curtains, cabinets, or stored gear.
• Test it regularly and replace it before end-of-life.
• If it alarms, treat it as real until proven otherwise.

• Smoke alarm for the living zone, especially near cooking.
• Keep extinguisher reachable from bed and door.
• Have a “get out now” plan that does not require shoes, keys, or thinking.
• Know where your ignition sources are: stove, heater, wiring, chargers.