As many furnaces kick on for the first time this week, homeowners are reminded to make sure their heating unit is well-maintained to prevent potential fires.

Pella Fire Chief Randy Bogaard says during the upcoming Fire Prevention Week, a national effort shares different safety reminders and works to educate the public about ways to reduce the number of fires, especially in homes.

Bogaard says installation of a new air filter now as the season begins will give many homeowners peace of mind and helps keep a heating system run efficiently, and he also encourages those who haven’t an any inspection or maintenance of their furnace to contact an HVAC professional for a check-up or tune up, especially if there are concerns with the device.

He also reminds those who use space heaters, fireplaces, or wood-burning heating systems to take extra precautions, as those are typically more dangerous than a central air furnace.