How to heat your home safely

It’s not quite winter, but people like Dave Bibb and his wife are looking for the best ways to stay warm while keeping costs low.

“We’re turning the thermostat down and dressing warmer during the days and nights,” he told News Two.

We went to heating and cooling experts at Aero Service Corporation to find out what you need to keep in mind when heating your home.

If you use gas to heat your home or water, make sure you have a yearly tune up.

“There are surveys out that say you could save up to 17-20 percent just by doing tune ups on a yearly basis,” explained John Hensen, General Manager for Aero Service Corporation in North Charleston.

Henson and his staff say cracks inside your gas unit can be deadly.  They use this special camera to check for leaks.

“The heat exchanger can crack and if these products of combustion get out and go into your house where you can get carbon monoxide poisoning,” service technician Mike Rowland pointed out.

If you own a gas furnace and opened up your unit, you won’t be able to see any cracks.  You’ll need a professional inspection to see that.  The best way to protect yourself, install a low-level carbon monoxide detector.

Before you pile up some logs and light your fireplace make sure to have your chimney swept.

“A lot of people say well I didn’t really use my fireplace last year, it doesn’t matter. Things can accumulate in there. Birds nests can accumulate in there especially during the summer,” advised Mark Ruppell with the Charleston City Fire Department.

Also, if you want to use a space heater, make sure the area around it is clear and consider one that shuts off at a certain temperature or if it’s accidentally knocked over.

The U.S. Department of Energy says you can expect electric bills to go up by about six and a half percent.  On the flip side, oil prices are already down by about 17 percent and residential propane prices expected this winter to average $2.22 a gallon.  That’s 10 percent lower than last year.