WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – It’s that time of year again where a significant drop in temperature has people dust off their space heaters. However, this is also the time of year firefighters are called to put out house fires because of something preventable like a tipped over space heater.

Here are some tips to keep your home warm and safe this winter:

• Make sure there is a 3 foot buffer of space between the heater and objects like a couch, curtains or blankets.
• Make sure you’re plugging in directly to an outlet and not using a power strip.
• Keeping pets and kids away is a good idea to avoid the heater tipping over.
• Turn the heater OFF when you leave your house and when you go to sleep.

For those with HVAC systems turning the heat on for the first time—firefighters say don’t be too alarmed if your home smells a little smoky for a few minutes.

“What that basically is, is the dust burning off those heat strips because they haven’t been turned on in so long, and they’ve just been sitting,” said Chris Fenner, a firefighter with the Wilmington Fire Department.

If you plan to buy a space heater, make sure it has tip over protection. That’s a safety switch that will automatically shut the heater off if it gets tipped over on accident.

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