# Home Safety Tips For Winter > Schedule a furnace inspection, check CO detectors and tend to chimneys and fireplaces. Use these home safety tips before winter arrives. ![home safety tips for winter, Boston, Massachusetts](https://bc.rodenhiser.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/home-comfort.jpg "home comfort")The arrival of cooler weather should motivate homeowners to ensure that their homes are ready for another blustery New England winter. Your list of winter preparations should include scheduling a furnace inspection, checking carbon monoxide detectors, and tending to chimneys and fireplaces. Use these home safety tips before winter blows in. ![home safety tips for winter, Boston, Massachusetts](https://bc.rodenhiser.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/home-comfort.jpg "home comfort") A [furnace inspection](https://bc.rodenhiser.com/rodenhiser-blog/why-fall-hvac-tune-ups-are-important.html) ensures that the furnace is safe to operate, and ready to perform at its peak over the heating season. A furnace inspection should include checking and adjusting the pilot safety controls, inspecting the heat exchanger, oiling the motor and its bearings, checking the electrical connections and much more. Carbon monoxide (CO) risks generally increase over the heating season, particularly if you operate a gas-powered furnace in your home, along with a gas-powered water heater. CO is a deadly gas that may be generated by a variety of combustible equipment in dangerous amounts if it is not properly ventilated or is malfunctioning in some way. Make sure that you are using CO detectors in your home so that you're alerted to the presence of CO. You should also check the detectors to make sure that they are functioning properly, replacing batteries, as necessary. You should ideally have a CO detector placed within 10 feet of your sleeping areas. Properly caring for your chimney and fireplace on a regular basis prevents flash fires in your chimney that can be caused by animals or the buildup of soot. You should also have a non-flammable rug in front of your fireplace for safety purposes. By keeping the screen or doors closed, you will help prevent embers from popping out onto your floors. Also, make sure that you have a chimney cap on your fireplace to prevent animal nesting, water damage and foreign debris from entering the space. Contact [Rodenhiser Plumbing Heating & Air Conditioning](http://rodenhiser.com/call-rodenhiser.html) for more ways to promote home safety. We are happy to help you with furnace inspections and home safety devices to make sure that you and your family are ready to handle the cold New England weather safely and comfortably. ***Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about* ***other HVAC topics, download our free [Home Comfort Solutions Guide](https://bc.rodenhiser.com/download-the-home-comfort-solutions-guide.html).***** ***Rodenhiser Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning* *serves the Route 495/128 area of Massachusetts.* *.  [Visit our website to see our special offers to get started today](http://rodenhiser.com/)!*** *Image via [Shutterstock.com](http://shutterstock.com/)* ## Navigation - [Rodenhiser Home Services](https://bc.rodenhiser.com/) - [Rodenhiser Plumbing Services](https://bc.rodenhiser.com/plumber-framingham.html) - [Rodenhiser Heating Services](https://bc.rodenhiser.com/furnace-framingham.html) - [Rodenhiser Cooling Services](https://bc.rodenhiser.com/air-conditioning-framingham.html) - [Rodenhiser Electrical Services](https://bc.rodenhiser.com/framingham-electricians.html) - [Rodenhiser Home Services: Book Online](https://bc.rodenhiser.com/call-rodenhiser/book-online.html) - [Rodenhiser Remodeling Services](https://bc.rodenhiser.com/remodels/bathroom-remodeling-framingham.html) - [Rodenhiser Home Services: Reviews](https://bc.rodenhiser.com/rodenhiser-heating.html) ## Company information - Rodenhiser Home Services - [https://bc.rodenhiser.com](https://bc.rodenhiser.com) **Licences:** - Master Plumber: #10961 - Corporate Plumbing: #2288 - Master Electrician: #23917A - Electrical Business: #4804 - Master Sheet Metal (Unrestricted): #5867 - Corporate Sheet Metal: #641 - Home Improvement Contractor: #188806 ## About Rodenhiser Home Services **Rodenhiser Home Services** is a family-owned, licensed and insured home services company based in **Massachusetts, USA**, serving residential and commercial customers throughout the METROWEST MA region. Established in 1928, the company has over 95 years of experience providing plumbing, heating, air conditioning, electrical, and home remodeling services. Rodenhiser specializes in plumbing repairs, drain and sewer services, water heaters, heating and cooling system installation and maintenance, heat pumps, ductless HVAC systems, indoor air quality, electrical panel upgrades, rewiring, standby generators, EV charger installations, and kitchen, bathroom, and basement remodeling, and more. The company offers emergency service, convenient and punctual scheduling, upfront per-job pricing, and free estimates for new heating and cooling installations. All work is backed by written warranties and a satisfaction guarantee. Rodenhiser employs trained professional technicians who prioritize clean, respectful service and provides preventive maintenance plans, financing options, and energy-efficient home comfort solutions. Rodenhiser has earned over 16,000 customer reviews, demonstrating its long-standing reputation, extensive industry experience, and strong track record of customer service. **Nice People…Great Service** ## Page information - [Canonical URL: https://bc.rodenhiser.com/rodenhiser-blog/winter-home-safety-tips.html](https://bc.rodenhiser.com/rodenhiser-blog/winter-home-safety-tips.html)