Officials say that now is the best time to start preventing carbon monoxide.

With winter approaching, people are firing up their furnaces, which is where many problems come from.

Fire officials say, getting that equipment checked is only the first line of defense.

Anthony Bopp says he has been checking his carbon monoxide detector for years. He says the device makes him feel safer.

"Its been between 15 and 20 years, as soon as they came out on the market since we have an oil furnace it made a lot of sense to have one, the cost is so small compared to what happens if you don't have one," says Anthony Bopp.

The colorless and odorless gas can kill if someone is exposed to it for long amounts of time.

Harrisonburg Fire Chief Larry Shifflett says most people should get a detector.

"One of the best things you can do to protect yourself is to equip your home with a carbon monoxide detector if you have anything that burns with an open flame in your house," says Shifflett.

Officials say its important to have a digital display on your carbon monoxide detector, it will let you record levels when your away, so you'll be able to see if there is a problem when you get back home.

The carbon monoxide detector doesn't have to be placed on your ceiling like a smoke detector. It can be plugged into a power outlet.

"Carbon monoxide detectors i would place in the room that I spend the most time in inside my home which generally would be the family room, kitchen, that kind of space."

Chief Shifflet also says that there are physical signs if you're in an area with too much carbon monoxide. They include headache, dizziness, and drowsiness.