Keeping Your Outside Exhaust Vents Clear of Snow

The snow is piling up. You keep your walkways and driveway clear, but where are you throwing all that wonderful white stuff? Any snow that accumulates in areas around your house should be something you pay attention to, especially around your HVAC vents or the intake/exhaust pipe of your furnace or water heater. If these become blocked, it can cause serious damage and serious health issues inside your home.

Most homes these days have a gas furnace, which requires combustion to work. The byproduct of the combustion process requires venting outside of the dwelling. Gas water heaters operate on a similar process. Snow piling up against your home can block these extremely important vent airways and have a long list of negative effects.

• Intakes and vents become inoperable
• Excessive wear and tear on your furnace or water heater
• A build-up of carbon monoxide and other dangerous gases within the home
• The system may shut off or stall
• A “snow cave” effect may occur, forcing all the gases expelled from the house to be drawn back in

High-efficiency furnaces need to pull fresh air from the outside for combustion. You will need to make sure these pipes aren’t blocked as well. These vents are supposed to be installed above the snow line, but falling snow from roofs, drifting snow, and the clearing of driveways and walkways can cause snow to pile up in the areas where the pipes are. Even if you are vigilant about keeping snow accumulation away from them, your neighbours may not be aware of where your pipes are and cover them accidentally.

There are a few things you can do on your own to prevent this from happening. Talk to your neighbours about where each of you can deposit your snow, especially if you have a driveway that is shared or between your two houses. This prevents either of you from covering the vents. Check the pipes on a regular basis and hand shovel any snow away from them. Be sure to always check on them after a heavy snowfall or high winds. Just as roads can quickly develop snowdrifts, so can the areas around your house. Also, check after a warm day when the snow has been melting and falling off the roof. This can cause a large amount of snow to pile up very quickly. You can also build an A-frame shelter over the vents to protect them, which will direct the snow away.

Snow and cold air can make your furnace cycle more than usual, putting wear and tear on your system and increasing your heating bills. The Triple Tech team can give you advice on preventative care for your furnace and water heater, even if snow is involved. If you have been experiencing problems when it snows, we can help you figure out how to prevent snow buildup in the future. Give us a call today at 705-333-8324.