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Beware of exhaust getting trapped by snow around a sidewall vent.
Sidewall vents are common in new heating and water heating systems, especially high efficiency units. These vents act as a breathing device for these systems. They take in fresh air and mix it with fuel to produce heat, while discharging exhaust fumes that can include carbon monoxide (CO).
If a vent becomes buried in snow or obstructed by a shrub, this may shut down your equipment – or draw exhaust fumes into your home, which can produce high levels of CO inside your house.
To prevent these problems, it’s important to remove snow around the vent approximately 48 inches in all directions, and trim any shrubs around the vent, so that your equipment can discharge exhaust.
Make sure vents are installed at the highest possible level, but no less than 12 inches above the ground.
We recommend placing signage by sidewall vents for easy identification.
IMPORTANT: State code requires signage to be placed over sidewall vents in certain situations. For guidance visit the Vermont Department of Public Safety website.
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