TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Dec. 18, 2007) - Residents and businesses are reminded to keep snow and ice from building up and covering outdoor natural gas meters and pressure regulators as well as from blocking appliance vents.
"Throughout the winter, and particularly after a storm, it is important that customers check their natural gas meter, pressure regulator and appliance vents to ensure they are clear of snow and ice," says Enbridge Gas Distribution Vice President of Operations Arunas Pleckaitis. "Snow and ice should be gently cleared from natural gas equipment and vents."
Meter and Regulator Safety
Customers should check their gas meter equipment regularly to ensure there is no build-up of ice or snow. Use a broom to gently clear snow or ice around the meter. Don't shovel snow up against gas meters or piping. Don't kick or hit the gas meter, pressure regulator or piping to free snow or ice. Also, be careful when using shovels, plows or snowblowers near the gas meter equipment.
Melting snow from a roof, drifting snow, freezing rain or water leaking from an eavestrough can cause an icy build-up. This build-up could interrupt your gas service or cause an appliance to malfunction, which may create a hazardous condition. Always keep eavestroughs in good repair and fix leaky seams in eavestroughs or down spouts. Don't allow water to drip onto the gas meter equipment.
Vent Safety
Vents installed through an outside wall take in air and discharge exhaust to support the safe operation of natural gas equipment.
Snow and ice can impact the proper functioning of vents. If an exhaust vent is blocked or clogged and unable to vent exhaust, a pressure switch will automatically be activated resulting in the appliance being shut down (e.g. furnaces, fireplaces, water heaters). If snow or ice is blocking your furnace vent or water heater vent, your pressure switch may be activated, resulting in loss of heat.
Snow and ice blockage can pose a potential safety risk. For example, if snow or ice is blocking both the intake and exhaust vent and a cavern forms, exhaust gases could be re-circulated into the intake vent. If there is a leak in the intake venting, this could potentially result in a carbon monoxide leak into the building.
To ensure proper functioning of your natural gas equipment and as a safety precaution, vents should be gently cleared of any snow or ice. Do not use sharp objects or apply force as this may disconnect or damage venting. Use a broom or a brush to gently remove any blockage and ensure that the area remains clear of snow or ice.
If you need assistance clearing vents, you should contact your heating contractor. If you do not have one, you can look one up in the yellow pages under Heating Contractors.
If you see ice build-up and suspect there is a problem, call Enbridge Gas Distribution immediately at 1-866-763-5427.
Additional information is available from www.enbridge.com/gas.
Enbridge Gas Distribution has been in business for nearly 160 years and is Canada's largest natural gas distribution company. Enbridge Gas Distribution is a wholly-owned subsidiary of by Enbridge Inc., a Canadian-based leader in energy transportation and distribution. As a distributor of energy, Enbridge owns and operates distribution utilities that distribute natural gas to more than 1.8 million customers in Ontario, New Brunswick, southwestern Quebec and upper New York State.