Fire departments are warning residents to take a walk around your house and make sure your furnace vents are clear of snow.
If this job is not done, it can lead to two different, but dangerous, situations.
"Older furnaces or heating systems, if the pipes or vents become blocked, the carbon monoxide from the furnace can back up into the house and create a hazard of carbon monoxide poisoning," said Kent Readman, North Huron fire chief and Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs member. "Most newer furnaces have a sensor that recognize when the vents are blocked. But what that does is shuts your furnace off to prevent the fumes from coming into your house."
Readman said either way, you could end up in trouble.
"When we're in these big snow events, where we're getting a fair amount of snow every day or those high winds that push snow into areas around the house that may not normally get now, it's a good idea to check those every day," he said. "No one wants a cold house when it's cold and snowing and blowing out."
He added that in that situation, it can be hard to get service people to help out due to the weather. On top of that, make sure all of your detectors are in good, working order with fresh batteries.
"It's just really important to make sure your carbon monoxide alarms are installed and working, in case your furnace doesn't have that sensor to kick it off or if something else were to happen," said Readman. "It's very important this time of year, and all times of the year, to have working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms."
Batteries should be changed a couple times a year, if your alarms are battery operated, and Readman suggests checking them once a month.
