City of Fosston issued the following announcement on Dec. 31.
As the snow starts to drift against your house, homeowners with high-efficiency furnaces should make sure their fresh air intake and exhaust pipes are free of snow. They're usually white plastic pipes that come out of the side of a home. A blocked intake pipe or exhaust vent could result in carbon monoxide poisoning. The same is true for dryer vents. Check vents frequently during periods of heavy or blowing snow.
Carbon monoxide, also known as CO, is called the “invisible killer” because it’s a colorless, odorless, and poisonous gas. More than 150 people in the U.S. die every year from accidental CO poisoning from generators or fuel-burning appliances such as furnaces, stoves, water heaters and fireplaces. Breathing CO at high levels can kill you.
Make sure you have carbon monoxide alarms inside your home to provide an early warning of increasing CO levels. These alarms should be placed in a central location outside each sleeping area and on every level of your home. If the alarm goes off, or you think you may have CO in your home, call 911.
Original source can be found here.
Source: City of Fosston
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