vape detector in casino

Vape Detector for Hotels (in 2024)

Vape detectors for hotels are becoming ubiquitous. We are seeing sales from hotels increasing. Smoking has been forbidden in most hotels for many, many years. Casinos tend to play by slightly different rules, but a growing number are moving to ban the use of mind-altering substances by their patrons. With the growing popularity of vaping, employing vape detectors in hotels is becoming a more frequent occurrence.


Why Hotels and Casinos are using Vape Detectors?


Vape detectors in hotels and casinos are important for several key reasons:

  1. Smoke-Free Environment Compliance: Many hotels and casinos have policies to maintain smoke-free environments. Vape detectors help ensure compliance with these policies.
  2. Health and Safety: Vaping can pose health risks, especially in enclosed areas. Detectors help maintain a healthy environment for guests and staff.
  3. Fire Safety: Vaping devices can sometimes be a fire hazard, particularly if improperly used or modified. Detectors can provide early warning of such risks.
  4. Reputation Management: Hotels and casinos rely heavily on their reputation. Enforcing no-vaping policies through detectors can help maintain a positive image, especially among guests who prefer non-smoking environments.
  5. Legal Compliance: Some regions have strict laws regarding smoking and vaping in public places. Vape detectors help establishments stay compliant with these laws.
  6. Guest Preference and Comfort: Many guests prefer non-smoking environments, and vape detectors help maintain the comfort of these guests.
  7. Cost Reduction: Preventing vaping indoors can reduce cleaning and maintenance costs associated with smoke and vapor residue.
  8. Technology Integration: Modern vape detectors can be integrated with other security systems for efficient monitoring and response.

In summary, vape detectors in hotels and casinos are essential for health and safety, legal compliance, maintaining a positive reputation, guest comfort, and reducing maintenance costs.

Is Vape Legal Inside Casinos?

Of the states where commercial gambling is legal in the United States, at least 15 have some state legislation that restricts smoking within casinos. The American Gaming Association’s 2021 survey of the commercial gaming industry revealed that 9 states entirely forbid smoking in casinos (these states are Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, and South Dakota). Vaping is a bit of a legislative gray area, as lawmakers struggle to keep up with the advances in nicotine delivery technology.

A good rule of thumb is that any casino with posted “No Smoking” signage is also a place where vaping is not allowed. For example, the 2019 update to Nevada’s Clean Indoor Air Act explicitly includes vaping in its regulations on indoor smoking. Nevada state law doesn’t prohibit smoking in casinos, but when individual casinos enact such prohibitions, vaping is forbidden just the same as cigar or cigarette smoke. When in Vegas, “No Smoking” also means “No Vaping.”

vape detector for hotels

Why do Hotels Need Vape Detectors?

Hotels that forbid smoking and vaping need vape detectors for the same reason that hotels do – to catch and stop vaping in action! Smoke and vape-free casinos need vape detectors with an alarm or alert function, like the wall-mounted ones shown below.

But what about hotels where smoking is allowed in some or all parts of the building? Of course, it makes sense to install detectors in areas of the hotel that is designated vape-free, for the same reason as detailed above. Even casinos with no restrictions on smoking or vaping should consider installing vape detectors.

The CDC’s Gaming Facilities Facts Sheet reports that even in well-ventilated casinos the levels of fine particle air pollution were at or above levels known to cause cardiovascular disease within a matter of hours. In some cases, indoor air sampled from casinos registered up to six times the concentration of particulate pollution in outside air. Casinos that allow smoking and vaping should still invest in a vape detector with a particulate density display to help them monitor the quality of their indoor air.

Why do Casinos Need Vape Detectors?

Much like smoking, vaping on premises brings down the perceived value and image of the establishment. The use of vapes can generate negative reviews from other guests who expect and count on a smoke-free environment. Vape residue and the odor of vapes linger on surfaces, and the behavior of chemically impaired guests reflects poorly on the business as a whole.

Vape detectors are crucial tools for hotels! Owners and management need vape detectors to assist them in halting vape use on-premises. Vape detectors for hotels serve to detect and monitor the illicit behavior of not only their guests but their staff and employees, too. 100 times more sensitive than existing smoke detectors, vape detectors are a reliable option to catch vaping which would otherwise go undetected and can be installed and utilized in areas where cameras cannot be placed.

vape detector for hotel

What Kind of Vape Detector Should Hotels Use?

Vape detectors for hotels come in several forms, each with individual functional advantages and drawbacks. When selecting a vape detector for hotel use, look for a PM2.5 detector like the ones pictured below. Devices with this technology can detect minuscule particles aerosolized by the heating element of all vapes. Fortunately, there are a number of detector options that fit this bill.

Handheld (Portable): Battery-operated and roughly the size of a deck of cards, these detectors provide a vital capability to assess the presence of vape or smoke particles in the air on demand. They can be carried in a pocket from room to room or wherever the need arises at a moment’s notice. There is no installation for this detector. Simply turn it on and begin detecting! However, these detectors have a run time limited by their battery life.

Hotel Vape Detectors (Stationary Mounting): Designed to be unobtrusive, discreet wall-mounted detectors are a great option for around-the-clock monitoring in places where cameras would be inappropriate. These are ideal for private spaces like hotel rooms, bathrooms, or other relatively small, enclosed areas. They are quick and easy to install and use, and can be programmed to alert a smartphone when triggered. Their only drawback is that reliable detection by a single unit is limited to between 200 and 300 square feet.

Industrial Gas Detectors (Stationary Mounting): Sometimes, a visual deterrent is just as important as a device’s detection capability. This rugged and imposing industrial gas detector can do it all. It is ideal for installation in common spaces like communal bathrooms or casino floors. The industrial detector is equipped with a broader detection capability than its sleeker brethren; with PM1.0, PM2.5, and PM10 sensor technology, it can alert to the presence of a wider array of aerosolized particles produced by vaping.

How Much do Vape Detectors Cost?

Vape detectors for hotel and casino use can cost anywhere from $200 to around $1000 per unit. Small handheld detectors are relatively inexpensive, ringing up at around $200. Added bells and whistles come with added costs; wall-mounted detectors range from $500-$1000, and heavy-duty industrial units start out around $800 and just get more expensive from there. Considering that multiple units are necessary to adequately monitor the numerous rooms and vast square footage of a hotel, this is inherently an expensive task.

Keep in mind that this is an investment for the ongoing good of the business. Investing in reliable vape detection technology will be worthwhile as the popularity of electronic smoking methods continues to surge.

Can I Tell if Someone Recently Vaped in a Hotel Room?

The ability to detect recent vaping depends on a number of factors. Unfortunately, if there is not a running detector in the room at all times, this becomes much more challenging. In a perfect world, all hotel detectors would catch all vaping 100% of the time. In reality, the efficacy of vape detectors for hotels depends on…

  • How recently the vaping event occurred
  • The duration of the vaping event
  • The size and airflow of the room…

…and many more subtle compounding influences. A mere two or three puffs on a vape may not leave enough vape particles hanging in the air to register on a detector. Longer vape sessions release more particles into the air, which can be detected for a short time after vaping has ceased. As more time passes, the vapor produced by the user disperses and settles on surrounding surfaces so that it cannot be detected in the air.

An open window or door and the introduction of fresh air can disperse the aerosols produced by vaping even more rapidly, reducing the concentration of those particles in the air and significantly lowering the detectors’ ability to sense them. For this reason, the ideal vape detectors for hotels are those permanently installed within and continuously monitoring those rooms.

Is There an Option for Vape Detector 24-hour Monitoring?

Absolutely!

A wall- or ceiling-mounted vape detector is a great way to discreetly catch vaping around-the-clock 24/7/365. Both visually discreet and visibly industrial iterations carry out this function and are programmable to alert a smartphone or other device on the network when they are triggered. This eliminates some of the need for spot-checking air quality in person with a handheld detector.

vape detector for schools
Wall-mounted Vape Detector

Can Vape Detectors for Hotels Catch Vape Use on the Balcony?

Vape use on an unenclosed or outdoor balcony may be challenging to detect. Since the flow of air from even the slightest breeze would disperse the aerosol particles generated by the vape device and exhale by the user, outdoor vaping is unlikely to be detected, especially by a mounted monitor inside the hotel room.

How do Vape Detectors for Hotels Work?

There are different types of vape detectors, and they work slightly differently. The most practical and affordable detectors for vaping are PM2.5 (particulate matter 2.5 microns in size or smaller) detectors which use a laser to measure the presence of particles of any kind suspended in the air. The detector’s sensor is placed slightly out of the path of the laser. That way, when particles like those produced while vaping or smoking enter the device, light from the laser bounces off of the particles in the air and hits the sensor. When enough light hits the sensor, this triggers the detector to alert within seconds.

Handheld PM2.5 meters use the same laser technology but display the real-time density of particles in the air around the detector, instead of triggering an alert once a certain concentration of particles is reached. As a result, a handheld vape detector can help to determine exactly where vaping took place by indicating where most vape particles are located.

vape detector for hotel

What Happens When a Vape Detector Goes Off?

When triggered, most vape detectors send a notification to a designated device rather than sounding an audible alarm which could trigger an unnecessary evacuation. Wall- or ceiling-mounted detectors for continuous monitoring of private rooms and small spaces can be connected to a local Wifi or similar computer network. Heavy-duty industrial gas detectors have the same remote alert function, though they can be programmed to alarm audibly above a set concentration of vape, smoke, or gas particles in the air. They serve as smoke detectors and can pick up on a much wider array of particle sizes than their smaller handheld PM2.5 counterparts.

A handheld detector like the one shown above displays the real-time concentration of particles present in the air, with no alarm function at all. These detectors are geared toward quantifying the difference in air quality between two or more spaces.

Will a Vape Detector Detect Smoking, Too?

Yes!

Vape detectors are 100 times more sensitive than smoke detectors, allowing them to pick up on even the smallest vape particles in the air. This extreme sensitivity allows them to pick up on the smoke and debris in the air produced by smoking, too. In fact, the laser scattering detection method used by vape detectors cannot differentiate between vape vapor and conventional cigarette smoke. Both will trigger the detector.

Where Should Hotel Vape Detectors Be Installed?

Vape detectors for hotels and casinos should be placed in any indoor area where guests or employees congregate, as well as areas individuals seek out to avoid visual detection. Some of these places include:

  • Private rooms and/ or bathrooms
  • Hallways
  • Lobbies or other common spaces
  • Communal restrooms
  • Maintenance areas and supply closets
  • Stairwells and elevators

There are some considerations to take into account when selecting installation sites for these detectors. Large, open spaces like a casino floor or a hotel lobby may require multiple detectors in order to adequately monitor the space. A vape detector installed in a room with an indoor pool may be subject to false positive alarms caused by chlorine and other particles in the humid air. At the same time, these detectors may provide valuable information to management about the quality of air and chemical concentration in the pool area, but that’s a post for another day.

Conclusion

Vape detectors for hotels and casinos can:

  • Be placed anywhere guests and employees gather (typically on the wall or ceiling)
  • Deter vaping and associated behaviors (action will be taken if vaping occurs)
  • Detect vaping in action (in certain circumstances, may need to apprehend vapers)
  • Address individuals vaping without disrupting others nearby (target vapers and not by-standers)

About the Author

Dr. Koz resides in the Palos Verdes Peninsula in Los Angeles, California. He is a subject matter expert on vape detectors, gas sensor technology, gas detectors, gas meters, and gas analyzers. He has been designing, building, manufacturing, and testing toxic gas detection systems for over 20 years.

Every day is a blessing for Dr. Koz. He loves to help customers solve their unique problems. Dr. Koz also loves spending time with his wife and his three children going to the beach, grilling burgers, and practicing Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Read more about Forensics Detectors here.

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Email:  drkoz@vapedetector.com