Q: We have a high-efficiency condensing furnace that vents out a side wall. Should I be concerned about the icicles I see built up on the plastic pipe outside the house? -M.C. Kalamazoo.

It’s no surprise that clean air vents are essential for maintaining good airflow and keeping your energy bills in check. Over ...

It’s also possible to damage your furnace by closing too many air vents. Newer, high-efficiency models are designed to operate with your specific square footage in mind and with fans running at ...

Q: Even though we have done a good deal of work to increase energy efficiency in our 1960 split ... The house was already equipped with soffit vents and the roofing contractor added eight passive ...

Something you may have noticed is snow and ice building up around the vents of your high-efficiency furnace. Balcaen & Sons owner Tom Balcaen says it’s something you should keep an eye on.

High-efficiency natural gas furnaces and water heaters use sidewall vents to pull in outside air and emit exhaust. If a vent is blocked, exhaust cannot escape and carbon monoxide can build up inside.