Farmington Faces the Big Dig

Snow that started about 9 a.m. Friday continued to fall throughout the day and night, leaving Farmington under piles of snow.

Saturday is all about digging out and getting power restored to those who lost it. The excessive snow accumulation also creates some safety issues.

The state Department of Construction has issued this warning:

Homeowners and business owners that "should be alert to signs of increased stress due to snow and ice overloading. Visible signs such as new or enlarged cracks in walls, sagging roof lines, or water leaks may be indications of excessive snow accumulation. If such signs are observed, an owner may want to remove some snow accumulation to relieve the load on their roof. Extreme caution should be taken to insure personal safety and to avoid damage to the roof while removing ice and snow. 

"Also, vents, air intakes or exhausts for appliances such as boilers, furnaces, hot water heaters, generators or clothes dryers may become blocked by drifting or accumulated snow. Blocked openings have the potential to cause carbon monoxide to build up in buildings. This is a greater concern for direct vented appliances whose discharge vents and air intakes are located near the ground where much higher snow accumulation could occur due to drifting. Snow should be cleared away from openings."