Decorah Black Hills Energy office is issuing a winter safety reminder

Snow and ice buildup on your natural gas meter can create a safety hazard and even cut off the flow of natural gas to your heating equipment and other appliances.  That's why the Black Hills Energy operations supervisor for Decorah and the surrounding area, Ivan Hackman, is passing along several safety tips:

Gas meters and regulators are durable and designed with the weather in mind, but a coating of ice or snow could cause a loss of service and become a critical safety issue. If at all possible, remove the snow before it has a chance to freeze.

Gently clear snow away by hand or with a broom. Do not use a shovel, ice pick or other sharp tools, damage could result and make the situation worse. Keep snow blowers and shovels away from gas meters and other above-ground equipment.

Hackman says you should also carefully clear snow away from the outdoor vent on high-efficiency furnaces so the furnace runs safely and efficiently; remove ice buildup from overhead eaves that could fall and damage gas meters below; and point out the gas meter and any other above-ground utility structures to anyone you hire for snow removal.