There’s been some cold nights recently in central Iowa, meaning many people have likely already utilized their heating systems this season.

However, Perry Fire Chief Chris Hinds urges caution when activating your furnace or fireplace after they’ve been dormant for months. He says even if you’ve already had your heat running in the last week or so, it’s smart to bring in a professional to see if anything needs repaired or cleaned. “It’s good to have your system checked out and everything. Make sure there’s no leaks, no cracks in your heat exchange, or anything that could cause you any problems with your heating system. And then of course with your wood furnaces, fireplaces if you will, it’s good to get your chimneys cleaned out. Because birds like to go down into chimneys and so forth, and they can build a nest that’ll cause that to back up on you. So get your chimneys cleaned out and your furnaces serviced and everything, and you’re ready to go!”

Hinds also reminds people to be careful with decorations they put up around the house, whether they be for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or anything else, because a misplaced light or flammable decoration can quickly lead to a fire. To learn more about fall fire safety, click the link below to listen to the Perry Fareway Let’s Talk Dallas County program with Hinds.

https://www.raccoonvalleyradio.com/2019/10/09/lets-talk-dallas-county-10-9-2019-chris-hinds/