Activities - What's Hot! - Fire

Winter Weather

Your Gas Meter & Appliance Exhaust Vents

Don't let snow or ice build up on your gas meter or exhaust vents.

During the winter, keep an eye on your outdoor natural gas meter, gas piping and appliance vents.

Stay safe with these important tips:

• Use a snow brush or broom to gently clear snow or ice around your meter and appliance vents.
• Don't use sharp objects or force, such as kicking or hitting, to remove snow or ice from your gas meter, pressure regulator, gas piping or appliance vents.
• Never use salt, hot water or ice melting chemicals to melt snow or ice build-up on your meter or regulator.
• Repair leaky seams in eaves troughs or downspouts to prevent water from dripping on your gas meter and appliance vents.
• Don't pile snow up against your gas meter or appliance vents. They need to be easily accessible and, when on sidewalks or laneways, visible to snow plow operators.
• To avoid damaging your gas meter, and appliance vents, use extra caution when using your shovel, plow or snow blower near them.
• If you have a seasonal property, or are away on vacation, make sure that someone is checking in on your property.

Why you need to remove snow and ice from appliance vents:

• Vents installed through an outside wall take in air and let out exhaust to support the safe operation of natural gas appliances.
• If an exhaust vent is blocked or clogged and not working properly, a pressure switch may automatically be activated resulting in the appliance being shut down (e.g. furnaces, fireplaces, water heaters), or worse a build up of carbon monoxide may occur in your home!

Learn more about carbon monoxide (CO) its dangers and how you can avoid them here.

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