Winter Safety: What you Need to Know

Keeping Meters, Regulators and Exhaust Vents Clear of Snow and Ice

• Keep snow and ice from building up and covering your gas meter, pressure regulator, gas piping and appliance exhaust vents to ensure safe operation of your natural gas equipment.
• Snow or ice build-up can impair the operation of a gas regulator and/or meter.
• Clearing snow or ice from your natural gas equipment is important in order to ensure that there is no:
  -  interruption of the supply of natural gas
  -  substandard appliance performance
  -  potential development of a hazardous situation
• Icy build-up could interrupt your gas service or cause an appliance to malfunction, which may create a hazardous condition.
• Removing snow and ice from appliance air intakes and exhaust vents is important because:
  -  vents installed through an outside wall take in air and discharge exhaust to support the safe operation of natural gas equipment (generally located at the side of the house for easy access) 
  -  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)

Important Steps to Follow:

• Check your gas meter, pressure regulator, gas piping and appliance exhaust vents regularly to ensure they are clear of snow and ice.
• Don't pile snow up against your gas meter or appliance vents.
• Use a broom or car brush to gently clear snow or ice around your meter and appliance vents.
• To avoid damaging your gas equipment and appliance vents, use extra caution when using your shovel, plow or snow blower near them.
• Repair leaky seams in eaves troughs or downspouts to prevent water from dripping on your gas meter and appliance vents.
• Don't use sharp objects or force, such as kicking or hitting, to remove snow or ice from your gas meter, pressure regulator, gas piping or appliance vents. This could cause damage and create a hazardous situation.
• Never pour hot water on a regulator to melt ice.

Need Assistance?
If assistance is required to clear a blocked appliance exhaust vent, 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 suspect a problem or there is ice build-up on your meter or regulator that can't be cleaned easily with a brush, call Enbridge Gas New Brunswick at
1-800-994-2762.