CLEVELAND — Over the next 24 hours, the snow and ice across Northeast Ohio will begin to melt, and water will be looking for a place to go.
At this time last year, a massive melt flooded the Chagrin River with debris.
This week, the Northeast Ohio Sewer District is keeping a close eye on the situation, while it is up to many homeowners to do their part as well.
They are encouraged to be proactive by clearing the space around storm drains.
The same goes for furnaces.
“A lot of the newer furnaces have plastic pipes that go out the side of the house,” Sal Sidoti of Sal’s Heating and Cooling said. “People make the mistake of shoveling snow, blocking those furnace pipes.”
The result is furnaces shutting down or even trapping CO that flows back into the home.
It is why it may also be a good time to check your carbon monoxide detectors.
“We get calls all the time when they go off and usually it’s a blocked flu,” Sidoti said. “It happens more than we think.”
As temperatures plunge, heating services such as Sidoti’s see an increased demand for services. Many companies now offer service plans that can help offset the need for last-minute fixes.