The cold of winter is here, and families will be looking to keep their houses warm however they can.

For many homeowners, that just means turning off the air conditioning, and turning on the furnace. However, for some that are in rentals and other residences that may not have a heating and cooling system, they’ll have to rely on floor or space heaters.

Stuart Assistant Fire Chief Stephen Martinson says that space heaters can be dangerous and that they make up a large percentage of causes for fires in the winter months. Martinson offers this advice when it comes to space heaters.

“One thing that we recommend is if you don’t need it, or you’re not using it, make sure it’s unplugged. Especially with space heaters, they could tip over if you’ve got cats or dogs or small kids.”

Martinson tells Raccoon Valley Radio that leaving open space around any space heaters is also important, because if there are blankets, towels or clothes too close to the heater that can increase the risk of fire.