MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - This year's winter seemed to be a little mild, but as the cold weather moves in with the recent winter storm, residents should follow certain precautions when using heating equipment. Phil Lewis, the Service Technician at North Winds Heating & Cooling Inc. tells more of how to properly manage the heating equipment.

"Be make sure that the filters are changed on regular bases, and the area of the furnaces or heating appliances have nothing directly to the furnace. They should be two to three feet away from it. The best advice is to have furnaces and other heating equipment checked and inspected every single year," said Lewis.

Residents can also reduce the utility bills by managing the heating equipment properly. When the equipment is not managed or cleaned properly, they tend to not work as efficiently as they could.

It is also important to be cautious when using fireplaces and chimneys at home.

"Having a build up of carbon and some things in the top of the chimney is what causes you the chimney fire, so always have those inspected and cleaned. The other thing to be careful about is not to overload the wood in the fireplaces and wood stoves. Any wood stoves, fireplaces, and the firebox that you put the wood into should never be more than 40 percent full," said Tavis Millerov, Fire Inspector for Meridian Township.

Residents are urged to the manufacture's instructions when using any heating equipment, and if there's any sings of burning or gas leaking, always call 911.