A chill is in the air. Here's how to stay safe when turning on your fireplace

Winter weather is on the way.

Many of us have turned on the heat or started using fireplaces to keep our homes warm.

It's a good practice to have fireplaces inspected before using them.

"The National Fire Protection Organization recommends yearly inspection of your fireplace, and there's a very good reason why. When you have a fire, your smoke that goes up the flue, and that smoke condenses and forms a flammable deposit called creosote," said Brion Barnhill, the owner of Barnhill Chimney.

Experts will check for creosote and remove it when they check out a fireplace.

Barnhill says it's important to have gas fireplaces inspected as well.