Right now is a critical time for heating systems to be working properly and the last thing that you should be dealing with right now is having heat or not. Rochester is getting hit with a pretty bad snow storm and snow is accumulating fast. We are expected to get 6-12 inches of snow today, but if you live over by the 104 corridor or by lake shore you could be getting much more snow. Also with the high winds today snow will be blowing around and could be high enough to cover your flue pipes (your exhaust and intake). When your flue pipes become covered with snow there is a real danger to you and your family that you should be aware of. If you have noticed snow covering those little white pipes sticking out the side of your house, give us a call so we can come make sure that your furnace is running properly and that you and your family will be safe.
When snow is covering your flue pipes, your furnace or boiler cannot run properly. Since the snow is covering your fresh air intake, your furnace or boiler has no way of pulling in clean air. Without clean air your furnace cannot run and because the exhaust is located at the same spot as the intake, your furnace or boiler cannot vent the exhaust properly. Forcing the exhaust back into your home, where it can do a lot of damage. The exhaust that is vented out of the flue pipes is extremely acidic, when it is properly vented outside into the air, it dissipates within minutes and is gone. But when it keeps being recirculated through your furnace, it just gets more and more acidic and will start to damage your heat exchanger, which could leave you without heat. When the exhaust is being forced back into your home, your not only gonna have acidic exhaust, it will also have carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is a silent killer, you won’t know it’s there until it’s to late. It is odorless, tasteless and it doesn’t have a smell at all. If this happens it could very well kill you and your family, carbon monoxide is VERY dangerous. You should have a carbon monoxide detector in your home, if that detector goes off, leave your home immediately and go to a neighbors.
Going outside to walk around your house in weather like this isn’t ideal, we understand that. But taking 10 minutes to locate your flue pipes and clear the snow away is better than leaving the snow covering them and risk hurting everyone in your home, either by losing heat or the dangerous gases that could be making it’s way back inside. Don’t take the chance, if you have noticed snow covering the flue pipes and your not sure how long it has been like that, clear the snow away and then give High Performance Heating a call at 585-426-3004 so you can ensure everyone’s safety.
