Keeping Vents Clear in the Winter

High efficiency furnaces, water heaters, and other fossil-fuel burning appliances may have exhaust vents that leave your home or building through an exterior wall. During the winter months these vents may become covered and blocked with ice and snow. To safely operate your equipment, you want to make sure that these vents are clear of both. Do not use shovels or snow blowers to uncover, this can result in breaking or cracking the vent. Also clear the snow away from your gas meter, do not allow for any dripping water or freezing rain to build up on the meter. Remove any hanging icicles that may be above the vents or meter.

By not clearing the snow away from the furnace and hot water exhaust pipes you can cause blockages. When this happens, you can have them malfunction or stop working, or worse leak carbon monoxide (CO) into the home. Please be aware of the dangers and risks of CO. Carbon monoxide is a poisonous, odorless, and tasteless gas. CO is harmful when breathed because it displaces oxygen in the blood and deprives the heart, brain, and other vital organs of oxygen.

Tips to stay safe of carbon monoxide:

·         Clear the snow away from exhaust vents

·         Make sure your vent system is working properly for furnace, stove, dryer, and water heater

·         Get your furnace check every winter

·         Make sure to have working carbon monoxide detector inside your home

To schedule a furnace clean and check contact us at via the contact us button or give us a call at 844-EXPERT-1. In the Southeast Michigan Expert Heating & Cooling employees provide emergency troubleshooting, repairs, preventive maintenance, equipment installations as well as design build and plan and spec services.