[simage=1108,400,n,center]

With the large amount of snowfall we received yesterday, Alliant Energy wants to encourage everyone to remove snow and ice from exhaust vents.  Alliant Spokesperson Justin Foss says if your furnace exhaust pipe becomes blocked, your furnace can either shut itself off or carbon monoxide can back up into your home.  Foss says with older furnaces, the exhaust pipes would be vented through the roof, but now many new systems have them located on the sides of the house and the pipes can become blocked by snow drifts.  He says when clearing the pipes, to use your hands or a broom and to clear out about one to two feet around the pipe itself.  If you would like more information on keeping your exhaust pipes clear, click here.