Things To Know To Prepare For The Extreme Cold Weather

As the snow barrels in and accumulates, I do have one snow tip that I learned the hard way.  If you have an external exhaust from your furnace that protrudes from your house that's close to the ground, make sure to clear snow from around it.  If it gets covered, the furnace may shut down automatically.  The first time this happened I had no idea why.  Luckily, my furnace guy gave me the heads up.  Now to the extreme cold weather about to hit us and how to prepare.

Our good friends at Consumers Energy are reminding us of some easy and logical ways to make sure we're on top of it.

1. Make sure you have an audible carbon monoxide alarm.  The poison can kill when furnaces are running a lot and doors & windows are closed.

2. Replace furnace filters monthly during the cold spells especially if you have hairy pets.

3. Clear flammable things like boxes and clothing away from the furnace.

4. Keep space heaters away from clothing and curtains and unplug them when leaving home.

5. Never use a stove top, oven or charcoal grill to help heat your house.

6. Never use a generator inside your home and keep them at least 25 feet from the house.

For more information and assistance with bills call 800-477-5050.