From a story on WQOW-TV (Eau Claire):
Eau Claire (WQOW) – A recent local fire serves as a good reminder to check your gas meter. This time of year ice can build up and the results could be dangerous.
Warmer temperatures mean melting ice, but Wisconsin’s weather can take a turn for the worse, freezing that water back into ice.
“It’s a typical problem with freezing and thawing within the springtime. When you have the dripping off of the roof line from the ice and from the snow, it can fall on top of the gas meters says Julie Simon, Xcel Energy Director of Gas and Electricity.
Energy companies want people to check their gas meters, because the ventilator can freeze over causing big problems.
“The gas needs someplace to go. And so if it can’t vent out the vent, it could have the possibility that it could back up into the house,” says Simon.
Fire fighters were called to a house in Eau Claire earlier this week because of an iced over gas meter. Gas pressure had built up in the water heater, starting a fire. No one was injured, but the damage was $5,000.