As winter fast approaches, the need to be pro-active about the indoor safety of our homes cannot be promoted enough as most residential fires and carbon monoxide poisonings occur during the months when we’re trying to stay warm.

Heating sources and electrical equipment, in addition to cooking and smoking, are the leading culprits of thousands of home fires that happen every year in the U.S.

Ranked as the third leading cause of fatal home injuries nationwide, residential fires caused 2,780 deaths in 2008. Forty-three percent of these deaths most likely could have been prevented had there been a working smoke alarm present, says the United States Fire Administration.

Likewise, according to the CDC, 170 people in the United States die every year from carbon monoxide poisoning due to malfunctioning heating units and related appliances like furnaces, ranges, water heaters and room heaters, portable generators, and fireplaces. Properly installing a carbon monoxide detector could mean the difference between becoming a statistic and getting out alive.

Prices on both detectors can be minimal or a little more spendy, depending on many factors, but the best thing to remember is that it’s a relatively small investment for such a big return – the safety of your home and your loved ones.

Smoke detectors range in price from $7.99 to $69.99 depending on the power source needed (battery or AC current), and sensor technology used (photoelectric or ionization or both). To be truly safe in case of a fire, it is vital to install either both types of smoke alarms or an alarm that uses both technologies.

In addition to the type of sensor, smoke alarms come with other options, such as interconnectivity (one alarm can trigger others), the ability to detect carbon monoxide and smoke, and the ability to record your voice as the alarm.

Since children under the age of five are one of the highest risk age groups for home fire deaths (in addition to adults 65 and over), due to their ability to sleep through loud noises, smoke alarms that allow the parent to record their own voice as the alarm have proven to be much more effective in waking their sleeping child.

Carbon monoxide detectors range in price from $19.99 to $49.99, depending on if they’re hard-wired, battery powered or battery backup detectors, and also depending on the sensor technology used, which in turn determines accuracy and speed of response.

To be fully informed and educated about the detector you choose, it is best to read the Consumer Guide reviews. Additional things to look for include low-power warning, sensitivity and durability.

To further ensure the safety of your home this winter when using a fireplace or wood stove, follow these safety rules:

• Ensure clearance with your wood stove of at least 36 inches from combustible surfaces and have proper floor support/protection.

• Have the chimney inspected annually and cleaned if necessary, especially if it hasn’t been used for awhile.

• Do not use flammable liquids to start/accelerate a fire.

•Never burn charcoal indoors which can emit lethal amounts of carbon monoxide.

• Keep flammable materials away from the fireplace mantel.

• Before you go to sleep, put your fireplace fire out. NEVER close damper with hot ashes in the fireplace — this could heat the fire up again, forcing carbon monoxide into the house.

• NEVER break a synthetic log apart or use more than one log at a time, as they can burn unevenly, releasing higher levels of carbon monoxide.

• If you are unable to afford a smoke detector, contact your local fire department for information on how to obtain one for free. (Must meet income requirements.)

For more information on fire safety and carbon monoxide poisoning, visit www.firesafety.gov