With the winter season bearing down on Southwestern Butler County, now is the time for homeowners to get their home heating systems in safe and working order to keep their families comfortable when the temperatures begin to dip.

Homeowners should begin with their annual heating system maintenance and are reminded of some heating safety tips to avoid a home disaster.

Bob Pelles of Pelles Heating & Cooling on Mars-Valencia Road just outside of Mars, said the biggest mistake he sees every heating season is homeowners installing their carbon monoxide detector in the incorrect place within the home.

"The single biggest mistake is that people put their carbon monoxide detectors next to their furnace," Pelles said.

"They need to have the detectors where they are sleeping. It should be placed in or near the master bedroom."

Pelles recommends annual inspection and maintenance for home furnaces before the winter season to keep the home's heating system operational.

"I've seen customers that have furnaces that are 10-plus years old, and because they do regular maintenance, they look like new," Pelles said.

"I've also seen furnaces that were five years old that really looked bad. A lot of people don't look at it (the furnace) until it breaks down. Out of sight, out of mind until it doesn't work."

The furnace's air filter must also be changed regularly, Pelles said.

The filters have the time when the filter needs changed on the box, whether it is a 30-day, two-month or three-month filter.

Another simple chore that many people overlook is replacing the battery in the home's thermostat.

Pelles said he gets between 10 to 15 calls per month that a homeowner's furnace is not working that turns out to be that the battery in the thermostat was dead.

For homeowners who use secondary means of heating their homes, home heating experts advise them to take the necessary precautions.

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, more than one-fifth of residential fires are related to the use of supplemental room heaters, wood and coal burning stoves, kerosene heaters, gas space heaters and electric heaters.

Here is some advice provided by the American Red Cross, U.S. Fire Administration and American Gas Association on home heating safety:

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Furnaces — The furnace should be checked regularly by a professional.The flame should burn a bright, steady blue and should never come outside of the furnace.If the homeowner hears or smells natural gas leaking from the furnace lines, evacuate the house immediately and use a phone outside the house to call 911.•

Fireplaces — Fireplace chimneys regularly build up creosote that can ignite.Chimneys need to be cleaned frequently and inspected for cracks and obstructions.Never burn trash, paper, or green wood in the fireplace because these are difficult to control and cause heavy creosote buildup.Use a fireplace screen that is both big enough to cover the entire opening of the fireplace to catch flying sparks and heavy enough to stop rolling logs.•

Wood stoves — Inspect and clean the stovepipe and chimney on a regular basis and check monthly for damage or obstructions. Keep combustible objects away from the stove.•

Space heaters — Only use heaters with the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) safety listing.Read and follow all instructions in the owner's manual. The heater should be placed on the floor, away from combustible materials, and out of high-traffic areas.Never put anything on top of your space heater.Never leave the heater unattended or with unsupervised children.Electric heaters should be unplugged if the residents go to bed or leave the house.Kerosene heaters should be turned off if the residents go to bed or leave the house. Use only crystal clear K-1 kerosene in your kerosene heater, never gasoline or camp stove fuel.•

Carbon Monoxide — Along with fire, another potential danger of home heating is carbon monoxide poisoning.If the homeowner has any appliances or equipment that burn fuel such as propane or natural gas, fuel oil, kerosene, wood, coal, pellets, etc., he/she should install a carbon monoxide detector.•

Smoke Detectors — Install a smoke alarm outside each sleeping area and on each additional level of the home.Use the test button to check each smoke alarm once a month.Keep new batteries on hand. When necessary, replace batteries immediately. Replace all batteries at least once a year.•

Fire Extinguishers — Consider having one or more working fire extinguishers in the home.Look at the fire extinguisher to ensure it is properly charged. Use the gauge or test button to check proper pressure.If the unit is low on pressure, damaged, or corroded, have it professionally serviced.