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A Cold Weather Advisory begins tonight and remains in effect through 11 a.m. Wednesday, with temperatures expected to fall into the single digits and wind chills making conditions feel even colder. Residents can reduce the risk of fires, carbon monoxide poisoning and burst pipes by following essential safety precautions.

Every home should have working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Never use a stove, oven or candles to heat living spaces.

Space heater safety

Keep heaters at least 3 feet from furniture, bedding, curtains and other flammable materials. Plug them directly into wall outlets rather than power strips, and never operate them beneath furniture.

Turn heaters off before leaving the room or going to sleep. Do not leave them unattended, and keep children and pets away.

Use flame-producing equipment only when it is approved for indoor operation and working properly. Outdoor heaters should never be brought inside.

Wood fireplaces and stoves

Before lighting a fire, open the damper and confirm that the chimney is clean and in good repair. Burn only seasoned hardwood—not pine, trash, old lumber, or painted, stained or pressure-treated wood. Keep children and pets at a safe distance.

Let the fireplace cool before removing ashes, which can conceal hot embers for several days. Place ashes in a lidded metal container, add water to ensure they are cool and store the container outdoors on a noncombustible surface well away from the home and anything that could burn.

Never put ashes in paper or plastic bags, cardboard boxes or plastic trash cans. Do not leave ash containers on decks, porches or inside garages. Make sure everyone in the household understands how to handle ashes from fireplaces, fire pits and wood stoves safely.

Gas, propane and pellet appliances

Gas and propane fireplaces must operate and vent properly. Contact a service company if there is any doubt about their condition.

Do not use a fireplace if its pilot light will not remain lit or its igniter is malfunctioning. Never attempt to light a gas fireplace with matches, paper or candles, and never burn anything other than gas in it.

For pellet stoves that rely on electricity to power a fan or auger, have a plan for outages. Use only approved pellets in good condition, and handle pellet-stove ashes with the same precautions used for wood-fire ashes.

Preventing and responding to frozen pipes

Know how to shut off the home’s water supply in case a pipe bursts. Close exterior hose bibs from inside the house and allow any remaining water to drain.

If pipes freeze, do not try to thaw them with a torch or candle. Leaving them frozen can temporarily prevent leaking; call a plumber for assistance.