Although e-cigarettes and weed pens do not emit the same amount or type of smoke as regular cigarettes, they can still easily be detected in hotels. How? Well, the answer is simple- smoke and vape detectors.
Since 2007, e-cigarettes and various other vaping devices have entered the U.S. market and have been growing in popularity for several reasons. Since their emergence, these vaping devices have proved to be a better and healthier choice than regular cigarettes.
Therefore, many traded the usual cigars for e-cigarettes or wee pens, depending on your vape device and its purpose. However, although smoking is often forbidden at specific locations, such as hotels, restaurants, or shops, many people wonder if the same rule goes to vaping.
So, if you have these doubts, you are in the right place! Let’s check how hotels know if you vape if it is forbidden, and how you can mask it!
What Makes the Smoke in E-Cigarettes?
Although many people think e-cigarettes and weed pens generate vapor, which explains their name, they produce an aerosol by heating the e-liquid, containing nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals.
If you are familiar with vaporizers and vape pens, you have heard about PG and VG, which can be found in e-liquid. VG, which stands for vegetable glycerin, is a brown or colorless liquid used as a thickener and sweetener.
The purpose of the VG is to generate vapor and act as a carrier for nicotine and flavors. So, if you wondered how the smoke is generated in the e-cigarettes or what makes it so thick, although nothing is burning, there is your answer.
Now, if we take into consideration that there are numerous vape devices with different cartridges and e-liquid, which can also contain ingredients boosting the smell and the thickness of its smoke, which a fire alarm can easily detect.
Does Vaping Set Off Smoke Detectors?
The answer is yes! Regardless of the type and model of the smoke detectors, they will detect the smoke and trigger the alarm. Therefore, if you are in a hotel or another establishment that provides accommodation, we suggest you skip vaping there.
Among the younger generations, there is a myth that vaping in enclosed areas will not set off the alarm. Do not get fooled by this; the smoke produced by different vaping devices can easily activate the alarm and land you in trouble.
Some users suggest you vape near an open window so that you can blow out the smoke outside. However, this ‘method’ of vaping is very uncertain and unpredictable because the wind can blow the smoke right in, and different devices produce different vapor or smoke.
Can a Hotel Tell If I Smoked or Vaped in my Room?
In most cases, the answer is yes. Most hotel rooms have sensors or these vape detectors, especially if the hotel has a no-smoking rule. Whether you smoke nicotine or marijuana, the sensor will detect the particles roaming in the air and alert the hotel management.
Before going to a hotel, check whether there is a rule about smoking and vaping. Although it is not the same, particular establishment forbid both.
For non-smokers, vaping can be an issue because it also produces some vapor and smoke, which can easily cling to furniture, curtains, and carpets, explaining why hotels generally avoid allowing smoking in rooms.
Do Hotel Bathrooms Have Smoke Alarms?
Interestingly, some hotel bathrooms do not have smoke alarms because the steam in the shower can sometimes activate them. In the eyes of the vaporizer consumers, this makes the hotel bathrooms ideal for vaping.
Generally, the steam in the bathroom can mask the vapor emitting from the vape pen or e-cigarette, which is why many suggest that if you want to vape in the hotel, go to the bathroom, close the door, and turn on the hot shower.
However, there are some downsides to vaping in bathrooms. Some hotel bathrooms have smoke detectors, so before you opt for this decision, look for the smoke alarms. If smoking or vaping is strictly forbidden, expect a fine and a very unpleasant conversation with the staff.
And the third downside is that the steam and moisture can damage your battery and device.
Does Vaping Stain Walls and Furniture?
Even though the smoke and vapor produced by vaping devices cannot be put in the same basket as the regular cigarette, it still stains and clings to furniture, walls, and various surfaces.
The particles found in the smoke leave residue on the walls, changing their color often from white to yellow. Regardless of the walls’ color, the residue is usually apparent. Of course, tobacco smoke is more intense and leaves more odor and stains.
The issue is not that problematic with e-cigarettes because they often contain flavorings with various scents, such as vanilla, candy, or mint, which is tolerable or even pleasant for most people.
However, the smell is peculiar and very pungent if you are vaping a dry herb vaporizer or dab pen. The chances of masking it are much lower than e-cigarettes because they are strong and easily seep into clothes.
The marijuana smoke is very wood and herbal, so if someone comes by the room, the chances are that they will notice that you have vaped a weed pen or vaporizer.
Do Vape Detectors Work?
Besides the regular smoke detectors, vape detectors utilize a specific sensor to detect vapor and smoke emitted from vape pens and e-cigarettes.
Considering that these vaping devices have become popular among teens, school management installed these detectors to deal with illegal vaping and smoking in school bathrooms.
The main difference between the smoke detector and vape detectors is that the latter is way more discrete when sounding the alarm.
Most vape detectors are reliable, although many vape users and teens go out of their way to mask the smell and avoid being detected.
Will Covering the Smoke Detector Solve My Problem?
When you vape, the hot vape cloud travels through the room, rising up and eventually reaching the alarm chamber, setting off the alarm. Trying to avoid this issue, some people tapped into their creativity and came up with the idea to cover the smoke detector.
The real question is whether this works and how reliable it is. Generally, covering a smoke or vape detector with a shower cap or a plastic bag will prevent it from going off because the cap prevents the smoke from reaching the chamber of the sensor.
Although this will work, we do not suggest that you try this for several reasons- you might interfere with or tamper with the smoke detector, which can get you in trouble in the sense of paying a fine or purchasing a new smoke detector.
However, the biggest issue is that by covering it, you might prevent it from working when there is an actual fire.
In addition, if the hotel management finds outs that you have interfered with the smoke detector and, by doing so, prevented it from working, you might be held liable for the fire and the damage caused.
FAQ
1. Is Vaping Allowed in Hotels?
You can smoke in the hotel only if there is a smoking allowed sign or a designated smoking room. If the room or hotel has a rule about not smoking tobacco, it usually extends to vaping as well. However, you should check with the management.
In addition, many hotels, in order to deal with illegal vaping and smoking, have smoking policies and fines to discourage vape users. So, before your check out, if you got caught, expect to pay a fine, which can range from $150-250, or even more, depending on the hotel.
2. What Are the Consequences of Illegal Vaping and Tampering with Fire Protection Equipment?
Besides the fine and a very unpleasant experience with the hotel management, you can also end up in jail for tampering with the fire protection equipment. The Penal Codes are different for certain states in the U.S., as you know, so the fines and punishment can slightly differ.
Smoking in a non-smoking area is considered a misdemeanor, and in Las Vegas, it can earn you six months in jail and a fine ranging from $500 to $1,000.
However, if you tamper with the smoke alarms in the hotel and cause them to stop working, you can go to jail because that offense is considered a felony and is taken very seriously.
In addition, you will be liable for any person sustaining an injury or even passing away due to your tampering.
Conclusion
The hotels can easily find out that you have been smoking in your hotel room due to vape and smoke detectors. Although some people think that the vapor cannot be detected because it is not cigarette smoke, that is the opposite.
Vaping devices are considered tobacco products, which is why they tend to be forbidden in certain accommodating establishments. If you want to vape in hotels, we suggest you research which hotels allow vaping to avoid all this fuss with fines and potential jail imprisonment.
