With the start of Autumn and cooler temperatures, good news is on the horizon as folks can look forward to having lower fuel costs this year.

It’s been a while since crude oil and gasoline has exceeded $4 a gallon and with gasoline closer to $2.50, the price of many heating fuels has also gone down.

According to Ernie Blue, owner of Blue Oil and Gas Company in Hamlet, the price of fuel and oil has decreased over the past year and now retails for $1.89 per gallon, and fuel burning heaters tend to hold their own pretty well each winter.

“The price has come down from last year,” Blue said. “It’s basically tied in with the stock market. When the stock market is down, everything is down.”

People preferring electric over fuel is a matter of preference, according to Blue.

“Older people tend to prefer fuel because it burns hotter than electric,” Blue said. “Others use gas logs to knock the chill out of the air.”

And as people begin to get ready for the cooler temperatures ahead, local fire departments are urging folks to check their heaters before using them.

“Keep good maintenance on heaters and make sure to clean them before use,” said Capt. Vic McCaskill of the Rockingham Fire Department.

According to McCaskill, it is best to follow these simple rules:

n Before temperatures drop later in fall and early winter, it is best to clean the year’s worth of dust and whatever else may have settled on heating coils before cranking on the heat.

n Check chimneys before use. Make sure they’re clean and no obstructions are in the way.

n Don’t throw ashes out on the lawn. Keep ashes in a metal bucket while they cool down.

n When using a kerosene heater, make sure to use the correct fuel. According to McCaskill, it’s a common occurrence that people mix up the wrong fuel and a whole home can go up in flames.

n Keep gas packs in heaters clean and in good shape.

n When using a portable heater, make sure to keep it unplugged when not in use, have a three foot clearance around it and remove any nearby combustibles.

n If there is a smell of gas, have the heater serviced immediately.

n Make sure the home is well ventilated, even when using fireplaces.

“If you smell a problem, turn it off,” McCaskill said. “There are breakers on both fuel and electric heaters.”