Propane

Rotten egg in the air

Propane is odorized so a leak smells like sulfur. Treat it as a leak until you know it isn’t. Generator and engine exhaust live on the engine & generator page.

Stop and air out

If you suspect propane or carbon monoxide: no flames, no stove, no fridge ignition. Get people and pets out. Shut the LP tank valve from outside if you can do it safely. This page is not a substitute for a leak-down test or a working CO detector.

Propane

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No open flames, stove, oven, water heater, or fridge ignition until cleared. Windows and doors open. People out if the smell is strong. LP tank valve shut off at the bottle/tank if it is safe to reach from outside. LP / CO detectors have power and aren’t chirping a fault. Replace expired detectors — they don’t last forever. Noted whether the smell is strongest at the stove, fridge vents, tank bay, or the bathroom (bathroom leans sewage). After the coach is safe and ventilated, connections get a soapy-water check by someone who knows the system — not a flame test. If propane is off and the smell remains in the bath, switch to the black tank checklist.

Generator

This checklist will be saved in your browser’s memory for the next time you visit rvsmells.com.

CO detector is on, in date, and not in alarm. Exhaust in the cabin is an emergency, not an odor project. Windows and roof vents on the exhaust side are closed while the generator runs. Exhaust outlet is clear — no mud, snow, storage bin, or parked car boxing it in. Coach isn’t sitting so the breeze pushes exhaust along the sidewall into a slide or window. If it smells like raw gas or oil at the generator bay, the unit is off until a tech looks at it. Generator compartment is dry and not holding spilled fuel or a soaked rag. The smell only shows up when the generator is running. If it’s there with the genny off, this isn’t the page.