ST. JOSEPH, Mo.

The cooler fall temperatures move in and heat goes up in our homes, but that could stir some up hidden problems.

"People are going to want to start lighting up their fires which is great because it creates an awesome ambiance for the family, a lot of great memories. You also need to make sure that the chimney has been inspected and cleaned if necessary," Gary Yates, owner of Chimney Sweep, said.

During national fire prevention week, fire prevention experts stress knowing ways to stay safe. This so the fire department doesn't have to make a visit to your home.

"Preventing a fire or an accident from happening is always best and accidental fires are preventable simply from keeping some safety tips in mind," St. Joseph Fire Department Inspector Rob Blizzard said.

This year's week focuses on how every second counts as fire experts say there are some simple tips you can follow.

Some of the tips include checking your furnaces, plugging space heaters directly in an outlet and not leaving the stove unattended.

"Keeping things away from heat sources," Blizzard said. "Keeping what we call combustible, things that burn away from heat sources like space heaters and candles."

Experts also remind homeowners about checking a common household item.

"Dryer lint is a hidden hazard within your home," Yates said. "A lot of people don't know about it."

Simple steps could mean the difference of keeping your home and loved ones safe.

"It's definitely important to have that year round mindset to yeah these are something that we need to take care of every year," Yates said. "We need to keep this on the top of your minds to keep our families safe."

The fire department said extension cords are easy to overload and over heat. They say the best solution is to use surge protectors.

Click here for some more safety tips to follow.