We hate to give up on summer, but that overnight nip in the air has been reminding us that the season is changing. If you are heating all or in part with a fireplace or wood stove, it’s time to start thinking about safety and readiness.

Many consumers try to improve their fireplace performance by installing glass doors or fireplace inserts. Both of these accessories are used to reduce the quantity of heated room air that escapes up the chimney. The fireplace insert, a wood-burning device that fits into an existing fireplace, adds additional heat from radiation and natural or fan-forced convection. These accessories, however, may cause problems with “factory-built” fireplaces. For safety, fireplace owners should add only those accessories designed or approved for their particular style of fireplace. Use of other accessories may block crucial air vents, create excessively high temperatures in the fireplace or cause other dangers.

Factory-built fireplaces are prefabricated metal units that are installed complete with chimney. They have been used widely in new home construction because they are less expensive than traditional masonry fireplaces. They also are called “zero clearance” fireplaces because they can be installed safely next to walls and other combustible surfaces. Some units have a brick or tile veneer, which simulates a traditional masonry fireplace.

Installation and operating instructions usually are included with these units, along with information about whether glass doors or fireplace inserts may be installed safely. But this information may not always reach the homeowner if the factory-built fireplace is installed by a building contractor. Consumers who are unsure which kind of fireplace they have or which instructions apply to the safe use of their fireplace should consult their home builder, fireplace manufacturer or their local fire department.

No matter what type of wood-burning device you use, observe these safety precautions as we approach the heating season:

. Fireplaces, wood stoves and chimneys should be inspected annually to ensure that they are in proper operating condition with no cracks in the fireplace masonry or wood stove linings.

. Use only the proper fuel. Don’t use coal in a fireplace or stove that is designed only for wood fires. Never use flammable liquids to ignite a fire.

. Try to keep the fire at a moderate level. Continuous burning of wood at a low-fire level may contribute to creosote buildup, increasing the potential for chimney fires and the corrosion of metal parts. Inspect the chimney and chimney connector on wood stoves at least twice monthly and clean if necessary. Avoid overfiring the stove, since overheating may damage the stove and chimney connector or cause a fire in adjacent structures.

. Keep children and pets away from fireplaces and wood stoves. They can be burned badly by touching such hot surfaces as fireplace screens or the exterior of a stove.

. Always keep combustible materials such as kindling, newspapers, and drapery a safe distance from fireplaces and wood stoves.

. When constructing a new fireplace and chimney for your home or installing a wood stove and chimney, be sure that the work is done by a qualified person. If you install a unit yourself, be sure first to check with your local building code officials or fire marshal for installation requirements.

. While you are at it, check the batteries in your smoke alarms and make sure you have fire extinguishers or chimney fire suffocation sticks near your stoves and fireplaces.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has information on other safety precautions to take when operating or installing wood-burning fireplaces and stoves. This information may be obtained by telephoning the commission’s toll-free hot line at 800-638-2772 or visiting www.cpsc.gov

Consumer Forum is a collaboration of the Bangor Daily News and Northeast COMBAT-Maine Center for the Public Interest, Maine’s membership-funded nonprofit consumer organization. Individual membership $25, business rates start at $125 (0-10 employees). For help and information write: Consumer Forum, Bangor Daily News, PO Box 1329, Bangor 04402-1329.