Your furnace gives off heat and something else too. Carbon monoxide. If your furnace flue is clogged or loose, carbon monoxide could be going into your lungs instead of up the chimney. so have your flue professionally inspected regularly. Before it's too late for an inspection to make a difference.

If you've been burning a lot of wood, your stovepipe and chimney may have a heavy building of creosote. If the creosote were to catch fire, your roof could catch fire, too. So clean out creosote before it wipes your out. Fireplace chimneys should be inspected and cleaned at least once a year; stovepipe chimneys once a month.

Gas heaters give off a lot of heat. They may also give off carbon monoxide. So keep a window open an inch or more in the room in which you use an unvented heater. Keep warm, but don't risk your life doing it.

If your furnace is not properly maintained, you could be in very big trouble. Carbon monoxide could be spreading throughout your house as a result of a malfunction. So before the beginning of each heating season, have your furnace inspected by a professional. Why take a chance when your life depends on it?

Adding insulation to your house can save you energy, but it could also lead to a fire. Have your home electrical system checked and have deficiencies corrected by a qualified professional, especially before installing insulation. And make sure insulations is kept away from ceiling light fixtures and other heat sources.