DETROIT, Jan. 15, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- DTE Energy's natural gas customers can minimize their risk of carbon monoxide exposure and help DTE workers stay safe, simply by removing snow and ice from their homes.

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Customer safety
 Carbon monoxide buildup in a home could result in serious injury or even death. To avoid exposure, customers should:


    --  Keep intake and exhaust vents for heating equipment free from snow, ice
        and debris for safe and efficient operation
    --  Carefully remove snow from the roof and chimney of mobile and
        manufactured homes to allow the furnace to function properly
    --  Use only approved fuel burning appliances for heat and/or supplemental
        heat
    --  Have a professional maintenance check of the furnace and other
        fuel-burning appliances annually
    --  Install carbon monoxide detectors on a wall or ceiling near all sleeping
        areas
    --  Ensure all detectors are functioning properly
    --  Never use a range oven or burners for supplemental heat
    --  Never operate generators indoors

If customers suspect a carbon monoxide problem, they should immediately open doors and windows, and leave the house or building. Then, they should call DTE Energy at 1.800.947.5000 to have an emergency inspection performed.

Customer service
 DTE technicians need to have access to meters in the event of an emergency and to safely read meters for customers. To ensure continued efficient and reliable service, customers should:


    --  Keep an access path to meters open and clear of snow
    --  Remove ice and snow from gas meters by hand
    --  Remove ice hazards from the area above gas meters to prevent falling ice

For additional suggestions, visit the DTE Energy web site http://bit.ly/14sk2Jv.

About DTE Energy
 DTE Energy (NYSE: DTE) is a Detroit-based diversified energy company involved in the development and management of energy-related businesses and services nationwide. Its operating units include an electric utility serving 2.1 million customers in Southeastern Michigan and a natural gas utility serving 1.2 million customers in Michigan. The DTE Energy portfolio also includes non-utility energy businesses focused on power and industrial projects, natural gas pipelines, gathering and storage, and energy marketing and trading. Information about DTE Energy is available at dteenergy.com, twitter.com/dte_energy and facebook.com/dteenergy.

DTE Energy is ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction With Residential Natural Gas Service in the Midwest U.S. Among Large Utilities," according to the J.D. Power 2014 Gas Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study(SM) released in September 2014.
Visit dteenergy.com/JDPowerAward.

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SOURCE DTE Energy