Winter Weather Safety Reminders

DULUTH, Minn.– With the Northland experiencing another cold snap there are a few things to keep in mind.

The seasonal snowfall brought in a wave of customers checking out equipment to handle the weather.

Staff at Marshall Hardware in Duluth informed FOX 21 about the importance of stocking up on the right winter gear.

These items including plastic window covers, shovels, and salt.

However, keeping tabs on appliances that deals with heat is crucial.

“As always, make sure that your furnace is serviced, cleaned and ready to go for the season. Changing the air filters, making sure the vents that the furnace actually breathes are cleaned out outside. Not full of ice, snow, debris from the season. And when it comes to electric heaters, running them in a safe area, away from other things,” said AJ Marshall, Co-owner of Marshall Hardware.

And for some of the quick fixes, such as space heaters, the Duluth Fire Marshal expressed caution for using them.

“If you are using a space heater, a recommendation we have is to plug it right into the wall. They pull too much power to be plugged into a power tap, or extension cord or anything like that. Overtime they will slowly melt the inside of them because they’re pulling too much power. They have a lot of draws. Anything that turns red from glow means it’s turning hot and pulling a lot of electricity from that,” explained Adam Casillas, Deputy Fire Marshall for Duluth Fire.

Casillas also told FOX 21 that with checking your furnaces and other equipment, it prevents bigger issues involving carbon monoxide down the road.