With the amount of snow the city's received this year, the Timmins Fire Department is reminding people to clean around furnace vents and gas metres.
Today, there has already been two carbon monoxide (CO) calls due to the furnace exhaust being buried in snowdrifts, said acting deputy chief Berny Stansa.
In the past two weeks, he said there have also been two gas leaks because of heavy snow on gas piping at the metre, and a vehicle backed into a metre that was buried in snow.
"Homes that are heated with modern natural gas furnaces and gas-fired appliances have what is called call direct venting. The appliances are vented through the side of your home through PVC piping. One pipe brings in clean fresh air to support combustion, and the second pipe allows the combustion gases to be removed from your home.
"If they are blocked, that creates a big problem that can easily happen on a day like today," Stansa said.
Vents covered with snow can cause the combustion gases to back up into a residence and trigger the carbon monoxide alarm, he explained.
"If your CO alarm goes off, everyone should evacuate the home, and call 911 once you are outside," he said.
"Exposure to CO can cause flu-like symptoms, such as headaches, nausea and dizziness, burning eyes, confusion, drowsiness and loss of consciousness. Also, don’t forget to have a working smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm on each floor of your home."
