Heating
Furnace or heat pump for a Saskatchewan home?
How they compare in a −35 °C prairie winter, and when a hybrid makes sense.
Read more ›Winter · Nov 2026
Frozen or blocked furnace vents at −35 °C
Why high-efficiency furnaces stop on the coldest nights — and how to prevent it.
High-efficiency furnaces and water heaters vent through plastic pipes on the side of the house. On very cold nights frost can build up on the exhaust, and snow drifts can bury the intake.
If your furnace stops in deep cold, check outside first: carefully brush snow away from both pipes and look for frost closing the openings. Never chip ice with a hammer — PVC cracks easily in the cold.
Repeated freezing usually means the vent was installed too close to the ground, too long, or without the right slope. We can re-route it above the drift line or add a kit that reduces frosting.
If clearing the vents doesn't restart the furnace, call us 24/7.