March 30th, 2014 9:13 PM by Dan Howard
You probably have noticed that there have been a lot of fires and carbon monoxide problems in the news lately. This is fairly common in November, but not usually in the spring. The long winter and extreme cold has been tough on budgets, furnaces and chimneys. Some of these were caused by improper space heater use to reduce fuel bills.
The extra wear this year can loosen mortar in brick chimneys and cause holes in metal chimneys. Birds and animals falling into chimneys while trying to stay warm is another source of blockage. Any of these can result in carbon monoxide staying in the home instead of going up the chimney.