Mountains Of Snow Cause Concerns For Homeowners
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Mountains of snow are causing some concerns for many homeowners, but there are extra steps you can take to make sure your home is safe and things you can do to help others coming to your home for service calls or emergencies.
Several rounds of winter storms have left many in Minnesota concerned about the impact all this snow could have on our homes, cars and communities.
While plows work to move the snow from streets, sidewalks and parking lots, there are things homeowners can do to stay ahead.
First, give the mail carrier a break. Make sure your sidewalks are clear and, more importantly, make sure the mail carrier has access to your mailbox by clearing the snow and ice from around it.
Also, remove the snow from around the fire hydrant on your block. Three feet around and a path to the street is what's needed to make sure crews can access water in the event of a fire.
You can also clear a path for meter readers like Dee Smith. Smith says it's like looking for a needle in a haystack when the snow drifts cover up access to water meters.
"They snow blow the snow up to the house and then you can't find it," Smith said.
Having access to meters is necessary in the event of an emergency.
"We've had a ton of snow this season and it's important for us to remind our customers to get outside and check their gas meters and make sure the snow drifts have not covered them up," said John Marshall with Xcel Energy.
Xcel energy wants homeowners to take steps necessary to keep gases from getting trapped inside the home.
"Make sure your vents to your furnace are open and clean as well," Marshall said.
If you can remove some of that snow from the roof, it can help cut down on the buildup of ice dams.
If you have an egress window, make sure to keep it clear. You don't want to have your way out blocked by snow in case of an emergency.
You also want to make sure your vehicle is free of snow and ice before moving it. Accidents can happen when ice flies off a vehicle.